To Fight for a BadGuy
by Golumfryingeggs
Summary: Sometimes the people you hate the most are the people you need to save. Batman, Joker, Mr. Freeze, Riddler and Penguin. Beta Reader Crisis Project from ch 11 to 16.
1. Missing Them

My first ever batman fic, I hope it's okay and I hope you guys enjoy it, at first I had wanted to post this in the comic section, but my Joker leans a little more to 'The Batman 2004' version. Still I hope you guys like it!

Yours insanely

Golumfryingeggs

* * *

**To Fight for a Bad-Guy**

**Missing Them**

The sweet soft whisper of raindrops filtered through the cold night air, caressing all in icy fingers and breathless winds. The city was dark; a bitter eerie stillness had claimed the once bustling town and high above this calm shadowed world, stood the silhouette of a lone and unmoving figure. The arctic winds whipped the dark cape, grasping it with freezing fingers, holding tight before slipping off and flying through the night.

Batman stood motionless upon the roof, his eyes never leaving the city once, the last few days had been quiet, too quiet in his opinion. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the break once in a while, it was simply he couldn't understand why they weren't causing him trouble.

He had grown so accustom to the constant bustle form his villains that the sudden calm, this cool quiet was steadily driving him mad.

'Perhaps I should join them in the asylum,' he mused with a small smile, 'When people start calling murderous monster 'their villains' I think it's safe to say there is a screw or two loose.'

But the eerie stillness had yet to even hint at leaving, it was sitting there like a predator, waiting to pounce when the Bat wasn't looking.

'The calm before the storm'

Penguin hadn't threatened him in days, which is saying a lot as the plucky man is usually very annoyed if the handsome Bruce Wayne captures a bit of Fame. And by annoyed he means completely irrationally enraged.

Mr. Freeze hasn't tried to freeze over the city in months, well he doesn't do so on a daily basis, but he at least shows his face every now and then, just to keep the Bat on his toes.

Riddler… not that he comes out to say hello every second day, but there is another quiet one, not even so much as a little puzzle for Batman to tinker with. The Bat frowned at this; he felt a little left out all of a sudden.

The Joker, now there was a worry, if this madman hadn't come out in months then there was surely either something very wrong or something very big was about to go down. But the Joker was an unpredictable creature, perhaps he was taking some time off.

Batman snorted at the gesture.

Unlikely at best; almost all the villains of Gotham suddenly decided to take a break? Not bloody likely.

Batman sighed sadly, truth be told he was a little worried, not because they might be planning something big, but because he hadn't seen them, to a small almost maddened sense he kind of missed the mad boys. Even though they're lunatics, they're still humans… to a sense. When their hearts had been filled with joy and laughter, when they had been young, they had had dreams and achievements they had wished to fulfill, but all they got out of life was a cold cell in Arkham Asylum and a big bat to shove them through the door.

He shifted his weight; the rain was falling harder now.

He would give it another week, only one more week, if nothing happens then he will start searching for them.

They might be criminals, but they were _his_ criminals.

And with that thought the figure leapt from the roof in a perfect swan dive, the ground rushing towards him, his eyes focused on the ill lit lamp pole looming on the tar road. In a flash the grapple hook shot out and clamping onto one of the building the batman swooped away into the night, barely a story away from his impending doom below.

* * *

The darkness clasped onto the pale figure with burning fingers, holding him into consciousness, keeping his mind focused on the burning pain his body has so steadily grown accustom to.

"How are you doing today?" a voice whispered from the shadows.

"Fuck you," the figure snapped from the cold metal slab he was tied down to.

"Tut tut," the voice said, "I would have expected better Mr. Enigma"

There was no reply, Edward Enigma, better known as the Riddler, turned his throbbing head away from the voice, hoping to put a stop to the stupid conversation. He was tired, his body ached and his stomach was groaning in protest to the lack of nutrients it so dearly craved.

"Well, there are other ways of making you talk," the shadows shifted and moving over to an illuminated red lever the shadowed figure grinned at Enigma before slamming the lever down.

Sparks blazed in the darkness, engulfing the form of the Riddler in hard painful jolts, twisting his body with violent electrical shocks. Enigma bit down on his lower lip, he would never give the bastard the pleasure of his screams. His body shook violently, slamming his brittle bones hard against the metal slab, only intensifying his apparent pain.

"Brave…" whispered the voice, "But not enough!" The lever was flicked up and slammed down once more and in the shadows of the lab Enigma screamed.

* * *

I hope I got my charries in charrie :), if not I hope it doesn't mean the end of the world... I mean think about if it means the end of the world I will be so grounded...

Okay whatever I am about as creative as a sludge hammer today, sorry guys just leave a review please :)

yours insanely

Golumfryingeggs


	2. Questions and Realizations

Shorter than my first, but at least I updated! I've got about four more chapters I can post Yay! Just as soon as I get more reviews lol ;)

Atticus620: I hope that 'brain dying' thing wasn't tooo serious! Just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to review and I hope you enjoy the next chapter. Oh and it's fun to be cruel... especially to your favourite character... he he he.

Yours insanely

Golumfryingeggs

* * *

**Questions and Realizations**

The Joker sat silently on his small cot. His red eyes glaring out the barred windows of their wretched cell, watching as the clouds steadily moved over the ghostly galleon in the sky. It has been over two months since they had been brought to this horrid place and the question which still held claim to all of their minds was simple;

'Why?'

Sure they were monsters, criminals, demons born from the poisonous pits from heck where Satan would not tread.

Perhaps the last one was pushing it a little, but they were still criminals, out casts in the world which they had so desperately tried to fit into early on in their lives, only to find no place for people 'like them'.

Joker sighed, feeling the strain in his bones where the beatings had taken place. The doctors of this new 'hospital' had been particularly interested with his ability to endure immense pain without problem. Experiment upon experiment had been made on his body, pushing him to his limits, but he prided himself that the only sound they had pulled from his body was laughter.

A jolting pain shot through his back, he might not be screaming in pain, but that did not mean he wasn't suffering. Joker closed his eyes for a moment, waiting for the ache to subside and upon opening them he gazed at the other occupants in the cell;

Penguin was sitting upright in his bed, starring at nothing in particular, much like Joker. His clothes were tattered and torn; his face holding the look of pure defeat and despite himself Joker couldn't help but feel the mutual pain. He knew what the old bird was going through, but there wasn't much they could do about it.

Joker smiled as the Penguin glared at his own tattered clothing. Upon arrival their old clothes had been quickly disposed off and they were given pure white suits to wear. They hadn't stayed white long, during the first week almost every patch on the suits were either blooded or torn, but they had yet to receive new clothes.

That had been over seven weeks ago.

Shifting his gaze he looked at the still slumbering Mr. Freeze, he wasn't sure why the icicle hadn't busted out yet, but he could be sure there was a damn good reason. Perhaps he hadn't escaped for the same reason why Joker hadn't done so; no opportunities.

These guys might be torturers, but they weren't stupid.

The Joker felt his eyes droop shut, he felt the calm of sleep beginning to claim him, and a small smile played on his lips as the warmth of slumber crept into his shivering body.

Joker was violently shaken from his stupor when the door to their cell suddenly flew open, allowing an icy wind to blow in along with it.

Red eyes focused on the limp form of the Riddler as it was flung into the cell by the masked marauders. The Orderlies of the 'hospital' all wore masks, most probably to make sure that if the criminals escaped they wouldn't come after them. Ed slammed hard onto the concrete floor, but no sound escaped the shaking body.

Not good.

As soon as the masked marauders left, Joker carefully, but painfully limped over to the fallen form of the riddle man.

His body was shaking terribly and Joker recognized it as 'shock therapy' on the first few days they had electrified him relentlessly until not even one of his muscles even responded to him. When they would throw him back into the cell he would crawl into the 'bathroom' (which was actually a small hole in the ground and led to who knows where) and threw up anything his stomach had previously contained.

Which hadn't been much.

Ed shifted slightly on the ground his body convulsing into 'I am going to throw up' spasms. "… Fuck" Joker muttered and grabbing Ed by his arm he dragged the kid over to the 'bathroom'.

He practically shoved Ed's face into the hole, but the kid got the message and pushing his tired body up by his raw palms he emptied out his stomach contents in violent heaves and chokes. Joker lazily leaned against the wall and shifting his eyes away from Riddle butt he focused on the other occupants.

Penguin had nary even moved, but was silently trying to scrape off the blood from his tattered clothes. Freeze had awakened, his gaze met the Jokers and in one final thought upon that night they both knew one solitary thing;

They had to find a way to escape.

* * *

Not one of my best, but I'm happy with the result. Hopefully your guys are happy too... otherwise I am soooo screwed...

Yours insanely

Gollumfryingeggs

P.S: The rating may change.

P.S.S: It will we changed in the near future.

P.S.S.S: Have you taken note of the previous two PS's?

P.S.S.S.S: If you're reading this it means you're either very bored or I am very interesting... most probably the latter...

P.S.S.S.S.S: Lol, just kidding ;)


	3. Conversations by Moonlight

Atticus620: I am starting to have sympathy for the riddlers sake... lol. I'm glad you still like the story and I hope the new chapter will be to your liking! Thanks for reading!

wisdom-jewel: Thanks I really appreciate that you're reading the story and enjoying it! I hope you like the next chapter!

jtykjety: lol! And here is MORE! ;) Thanks for reading:D!

Yours insanely

Golumfryingeggs

* * *

**Conversation by Moonlight**

Victor Fries stood like a ghost by the window, his face passive and no emotion passed across his pale features. All his freeze gadgets gone and now all he was left with was this tight suit, which suppressed his powers and was impossible to remove. A cold and bitter reminder of why he was here.

A soft wind blew in from the window and as it did Mr. Freeze sighed softly. Out of the four he had been experimented the least on, Penguin second, Riddler third and finally the Joker was the worst.

Victor had always known that Joker was tough, but with the blows and torture he was withstanding Victor was finding himself looking at the clown in a whole different light. There was a damn good reason why the Joker was Batman's arch-nemeses.

"Boring or brooding?" a deep voice said from behind Freeze, he recognized it instantly.

"A bit of both I believe,"

There was a pause, Joker shifted he went to stand beside Mr. Freeze and the ice man could not help but raise and eyebrow at the Clown's silence. So very unlike the Joker.

"Strange that you should help Enigma," Fries began when the Joker did not continue. "Are you turning soft? Or is it your long lost mother instinct which has come into play,"

Joker chuckled softly at Victor and the ice man let out a relieved breath he didn't even know he was holding. The Joker looked at him with tired eyes,

"I was in no mood to have a vomit flavored cell," his gaze fell back to the window, "I had a few in Arkham, not as appealing as it sounds my dear icicle"

Victor snorted at the nickname, but did not press the matter.

There was another long silence.

"I think I know how to escape…" it was barely audible, but the Ice Man had picked it up. His cold eyes snapped from the window to gaze at the clown, if what the lunatic said was true then he was definitely all ears.

"How?" he whispered.

"The escape routes can only take one, very thin and small person," Joker gazed at the Freezer and for a moment he could swear he saw the slightest hint of sadness in the clown's face.

Joker dropped his tired gaze from the window and for the very first time since they had come to this horrid place, Victor could see the pain on his fellow villain and the complete and pure exhaustion. But through this haze of pain and weariness was the flicker of absolute determination.

If anyone could escape this hell hole, it would be the Joker.

"When you escape," Victor said, his eyes turning back to the window, "Don't forget us,"

There was a long pause, Mr. Freeze expected a snappy come back or a sarcastic remark but the initial reaction was far more shocking;

"I won't" the clown whispered softly as the moon was covered by the darkened clouds.

* * *

"Get him!" 

Four orderlies charged down the hallways, aiming for the lanky form of the green haired madman. The lunatic skied around a corner, his eyes focusing on his final destination; the bar less window at the end of the long, long hallway.

"Don't let him escape!"

The doctor, who was just behind the four masks orderlies, was furious to say the least, he still had no idea how the madman had managed to break those restraints, nor did he know where the lunatic was getting the energy to walk let a lone run.

The pale man finally reached his destination and turning around he gave a goofy grin at the five men;

"I've always got an Ace up my sleeve, doc" he laughed and threw the razor sharp card at the approaching men, they quickly dodged the blasted play card and watched in absolute shock as the Joker leapt from the window.

"No!" yelled the doctor and stormed forward only to see the pale body of the clown slam into the icy depths below. The sea was rough upon this night, the moon covered by the rainstorm clouds. The Doctor gazed for a long moment at the sea, half expecting the Joker to pop up, but nothing happened.

"You tink 'e survived it?" one of the Orderlies questioned.

"With a weak body and an empty stomach?" The doctor smiled, "I very much doubt it,"

He smiled a sadistic smile, watching the waves crashing hard against the jagged rock below; even if the Joker survived it was very unlikely he would be strong enough to even stand on his own two legs. The best the clown could do was swim towards Gotham and the only thing which awaited him there was an angry bat.

Th doctor turned away from the small window and as he walked down the dark hallway a soft tune split through his voice, it echoed through the darkness, encasing the shadows with a morbid melody. They would wait to hear what had happened to their expermint, if he had survived there was only one place he could go and once he was back in Arkham; they will bring him back.

That was a promise.

* * *

I hope all of you non-reviewers enjoyed this chapter as well, I was going to split this one into two, but decided against it. So I hope you like it and please leave a little something so that I won't be forced to take drastic measures!

Like... something, that will be horrible... no idea what, but it will be horrible!

he he he

Yours insanely

Golumfryingeggs


	4. Screwy Factories

Wow! Got a lot of reviews on that one , must be doing something right! Lol!

Tuteyuet: lol! I'm glad you're enjoying the story! But you're gonna have to read and fine out. Hope you like the next chapter!

Andywattbolb: Awe thanks! I like dark stories, most of mine are dark... he he he I've been reading way to many Batman comics... lol!

videl87: lol, I was going to leave this story a bit longer, I wanted to progress a little further before posting the next chapter, but I can't argue with a review like yours! So here's the next chapter:)!

Atticus620: Here's the next chapter and stop twitching! You're starting to scare Joker for crying out loud!

Thanks for all your marvelous reveiws, I hope this chapter is at least in the 'alright' category if not... well... um... I'll think of something!

Yours insanely

Golumfryingeggs

* * *

**Screwy Factories**

Riddler shot awake in the inky blackness of his cell. He blinked a few times but the darkness did not leave. He sighed, it has been so long since he can remember a decent meal, a drink that didn't taste like toilet water and a warm soft bed. He was thirsty hungry and very tired, but he knew that moaning about it was not going to help his predicament. So, sighing once more he rolled onto his stomach and attempted to push himself up to try and get some toilet water.

Big mistake number one.

"Argh!" he screamed grabbing his head and wishing at the same time for more hands to caress the other painful parts. Every nerve in his body burned in agony, every cell cursing him for his stupidity. Ed leaned his sweaty brow against the cool side of the scratchy old worn down mattress, waiting for the pain to subside, wishing there was someone there to sooth it.

A cold hand touched his shoulder and pure relief washed over the pained man. There was only one human being that was cold enough to send chills down the spine of the Riddler.

"Hey V-Victor," he stuttered, gasping for breath.

Victor said nothing for a long moment, but merely sat down on the small cot, he never moved his hand. A strange calm always seemed to follow this man, perhaps it was because of his mutation or maybe their situation, but whatever it was Riddler was finding himself very gratefull for the Freeze mutant's presence.

There was a long pause.

"He escaped," Fries said in a dead tone.

Edward's eyes widened in shock, he turned his head slightly to the right and attempted to see the look on the Freeze man's face, but all was covered in darkness and all he could make out was the dark silhouette of the ice mutant.

"Who?" he whispered.

Victor sighed and grabbing Ed by his arm he gently pulled the black haired man into a sitting position. Ed winced and hissed in pain all the way, but when his back was against the wall behind his cot he felt relief pool over his body once more. Riddler closed his eyes for a moment, savouring the relief from his tense body... now if he could only do something about this thirst.

"The Joker," Victor said, Riddler's eyes shot open and for the second time that night wished he could see his face, expressions could mean so much if read correctly.

"Well… that's good isn't it?" Edward asked breathlessly, "It means there is someone on the outside that can help,"

"True," Victor whispered to the darkness, he remained silent after that and for a moment the Riddler could swear he was not going to continue. But as it were Victor did continue, but the words were enough to send chills down his spine for the second time that night.

"They apparently pumped him full of some sort of serum," Mr. Freeze said, "If he doesn't find the cure in one week… he will die and then either another of us has to escape… or we will die as well,"

Riddler remained silent for a long, long moment.

"We're so screwed"

* * *

Batman paced restlessly up and down past the monitors, his face contorted into an angry gesture. Five days had passed since the day on the roof and not even so much as a hiccup from the villains; it was starting to worry him… a lot. Batman paused for a moment; he slammed his hands flat onto the table and glared at the screens.

"Where are you!" he screeched, feeling the sudden worry boil inside of him, he hated being left in the dark, as long as the villains were causing trouble he at least knew what was going on, but this, this was complete torture.

"You should be grateful," Batman or Bruce smiled softly at the voice; Alfred always knew what was happening, even if he Bruce did not.

"I know, but I'm worried," Bruce began, he flopped down into his chair, his eyes still pinned to the many screens before him, "It's just, their not in Arkham so they must've escaped and if they escaped it means they are plotting something… but what?"

Alfred said nothing, he placed a silver tray onto the table; it held a silver tea set and some biscuits. "Perhaps you should enjoy the break while it is there," the old man said, "Until they strike there isn't much one can do except worry,"

Bruce sighed, he really hated it when his Butler made sense, but that's what butlers do unfortunately.

Alfred poured the tea and Bruce gratefully took the offered cup and grabbing a biscuit he dipped it into the hot steamy sweet liquid. His friend was right, worrying was not doing him any good and until these blasted villains decided to attack he wasn't going to be able to do anything.

He nibbled on the swollen biscuit, smiling at the delicious taste, if there's one thing his butler can do is cook a mean biscuit.

"You're probably right," Bruce began, he smiled at his butler, "Best not to look a gift horse in the-"

He was cut short by the sudden screams from the alarms. The monitors blinked and blazed and Batman immediately dropped his delicacies to examine the screens. Alfred barely surprised a groan and instead watched sadly as his Master sprang back to work in a flash.

"A toy factory was blown up," Bruce muttered, his eyes scanning all the information in seconds.

"Who would destroy a toy factory?"

"I don't know," Batman smiled at his butler, "Yet."

And with those words the Batman leapt into his mobile and sped off into the night, leaving his butler with a half eaten biscuit and a very annoyed glare.

* * *

Well there you are my prrrrrecioussse reviewers!

…. I'm a little dead with words today so, um yeah that's about it from me!

…. You can stop reading now…. :)

Yours insanely

Golumfryingeggs

…. No seriously…. Time to stop…stop…stop… oh for crying out loud!


	5. What Kept You?

Yukryukf: You're going to have to read and find out ;) Though I'm very happy you're at least still enjoying the story! Yay!

Atticus620: Lol, though I think he was hyped up on drugs the last time, so maybe you won't scare him so much today... no wait there he goes in search of his guns... I think you should either start running or annoy him some more, either way your gonna get shot at!

wisdom-jewel: Glad you enjoyed it! And here's the next chapter!

I would just like to apologies for letting you guys wait so long, I have exams coming up and my Internet kinda died on me eight days before the end of the month! DEATH TO ALL TELEPHONE COMPANIES!

Rant over! On with the story!

* * *

**What Kept You?**

The Bat-mobile roared angrily as it charged down the streets, on its way to the toy factory. The Batman sat lazily at the controls, his eyes completely focused on the long stretch of tar road which loomed between him and his destination.

Taking another violent turn he held onto the wheel as the tires from the car screeched, gripping the tar road with all their might and throwing the car back on course. Batman nary blinked and finally he reached his destination.

The building was up in a blaze, many firemen were desperately trying to calm the flames down, but it was a slow procedure. Batman scanned the surrounding area and flicking out his grapple hook he launched it at a building and swiftly leapt onto it. From here he could survey the damage far better.

No one was being tended to and no ambulances were in sight that at least meant that no one got hurt during the explosion. But now the question begged to ask; why blow up a toy factory? What could possibly be gained from such and act? This was quite a little mystery, but his pondering thoughts were penetrated when a soft voice spoke from the shadows.

"I thought you'd never get here, batsy"

Batman spun around and gazed into the darkness, but he could find no one in the vicinity. The roof was large and flat, so keeping his hands concealed beneath his black cloak, Batman steadily moved into the shadows, his eyes searching the darkness.

"Blind as bat it would seem," a mad giggle tore through the shadows and finally Batman spotted the culprit, he was hiding behind a large crate and leaping forward Bruce grabbed the hidden form and pulled him from his hiding place with a mighty pull.

He was met with a howl of pain.

Batman had never been so shocked in his life; it was the Joker no doubt about that, but his clothes were blooded and torn, his face was purple with bruises and allowing his gaze to drift down he quickly realized the Clown was completely emaciated.

"Let me go!" Joker barked, desperately grabbing at the gloved hands and trying to pull them from his pained body, but he could barely find the energy to lift his head and so closing his eyes he waited for the Batman to let him go.

Batman did so, but carefully, the moment the Joker's feet touched the ground the clown collapsed into a heap and made no move of getting up. The Dark Knight was not sure as to what his next course of action should be, he could leave the Joker, but then that would risk having the poor thing die.

He had wished for at least one of his villains to return… but not like this.

"Joker?" he began as the shivering heap sighed softly, "What happened to you?"

The clown didn't answer, instead he shifted his weight and carefully draped and arm around his stomach, he was in terrible pain that was obvious, but Bruce just wasn't sure what to do. Should he help? Should he take the clown back to Arkham?

He just didn't know.

He did know one thing; he needed answers and it seemed that the Joker might have some of them.

"…I need…your help…" it was whispered, but his keen bat ears picked it up. Kneeling down next to the wounded man, Batman carefully placed a black hand against the white face; he tilted the head up softly and met the Joker's tired eyes.

"Help with what?" Batman asked.

Joker swallowed hard, he seemed thirsty as well, where the clown had gotten the energy to blow up a factory was beyond the batman at this point, "Riddles, Ice cube and fowl breath… they're still… in there"

The Batman frowned but realization dawned soon enough, "Riddler, Mr. Freeze and Penguin?" he asked, the clown nodded, "Where are they, Joker? Are they in a state like you? What's happened to them?"

Joker closed his eyes and remained silent for a long while, Batman was patient, but the answer which came was definitely not what he had expected to hear from the mad clown;

"Don't take me back to Arkham,"

The Joker finally fell unconscious, he left the Batman with a sad expression and a confused head, but later when Bruce had placed the feather weight Joker in the Bat-Mobile and took off into the night he made sure he went in the opposite direction of the asylum.

* * *

Not one of my best, but at least I got a chapter up!

Hope you guys like it!

And no I am not going to torment you with one of my lame jokes today… I am far to tired and way to bored to do anything of the sort!

Have a nice day!

Yours insanely

Golumfryingeggs


	6. Brittle Hope

**hasbro**: Great to know I still have a few fans left! :D! I never liked writing about good guys... I like writing about baddies... their soooo much more fun... he he he! Thanks for reviewing and I hope you enjoy the next chapter!

Vampirina08: Pardon the wait, I've been very busy of late with a new job and a new schedual to keep, the chapter isn't brilliant I think I got a few out of character, but it'll do for now, if your really hate it that much... um yeah then it's... really bad?

Eerie Iri: Awe! Thanks a lotness! Hope you njoy the chapter!

**Heehawlarious**: Okay! Geeze there ye go! Just don't bite my hand off! Hope you like it! :D!

SilentOmega12e: Which is exactly what I did ;). Thanks for reading!

Wow thems was a lot of reviews! Thanks guys! I'm sorry that I took so long, but I had a lot of stuffies to get done, but I hope this chapter makes up for it! :D!

yours insanely

Gollumfryingeggs!

* * *

**Brittle Hope**

Alfred Pennyworth was worried to say the least, after Master Bruce had phoned him and told him to ready a bed in the Batcave he had been nothing but worried. The duvet was spread over the small, but comfortable bed, pillows fluffed and sheets tucked in. Alfred stared at the cream colored blankets, his mind drifting to the call he had received only moments before;

"_Alfred?" his master and friend had sounded slightly out of breath; there wasn't much that could rattle the batman this badly._

"_Sir, are you alright-" Alfred had been cut short by Bruce;_

"_No time to explain; just have a bed ready in the bat cave by the time I get there,"_

_The butler had frowned at this, but did not question further, "Of course, sir"_

_And the batman had hung up._

That was about fifteen minutes ago, where ever Bruce was it had to be either very far or pretty damn hard to get out of. He hoped it wasn't the latter. Finally he could hear the roar of the bat-mobile charging down the long pipe and moments later the hatch opened and in stormed the black car, screeching to a halt on the circular platform.

The door flew open and Batman sprang out of the car, Alfred watched as he made his way to the passenger's seat and quickly picked up a human shaped bundle covered in cotton blankets.

"The bed?" Bruce asked starring at Alfred with an intense gaze.

"In the corner," he watched as Bruce hastily made his way over to the small cot, Alfred followed closely, "If I may-"

He was cut dead short when Bruce finally pulled away the blanket to reveal green hair and a pale bruised face.

The first thing that sprang to mind was to question Bruce on his sanity and why the hell he brought the Joker here in the first place, but when the madman curled up into a fetal position and moaned softly in pain the only question that did spring to mind was something else entirely;

"What happened to him?"

Bruce didn't answer he proceeded to carefully remove the tattered shirt that clung to the pale body with sweat and blood. Once the shirt had been removed one could see the rest of the damage; every single inch of the once white body was covered in either bruises or weeping wounds, there was clearly at least one rib broke on the left side, but until they had a thorough examination one could only guess.

"There's a small bag in the bat-mobile," Bruce said, never even turning to look at Alfred, "could you please retrieve it for me?"

Alfred nodded and turning around he quickly made his way to the car. He leaned over the side, his eyes searching for anything which might resemble a bag. His eyes locked with a small black zip-up and grabbing it by its straps he quickly pulled it from the car.

"…oh, gods…" it was whispered so softly that Alfred had to strain to actually hear what Bruce had said, but turning around to face his friend he felt the breath leave his body.

Joker had turned around and with his shirt gone, his back was exposed to the world, or more what was left of his back. Hundreds upon hundreds of whip-lash markings riddled the pale skin, cris-crossing in hundreds of patterns. Some were still oozing with blood it seems, but from this distance he couldn't be sure.

"Did you get the bag?" Alfred was shook from his stupor, he wasn't surprised to find that his friend's voice was slightly strained; it brought relief really knowing that at least one of them could show their emotions openly.

"Yes sir," he whispered and carefully made his way back to the bed. He handed Bruce the bag. The cloaked man grabbed it, but that's where all motion stopped dead, his eyes remained focused on the back of the Joker , never even so much as blinking.

The old man frowned softly, something had rattled his friend terribly, but until the Joker had been properly cared for he couldn't question Bruce as to what had happened.

"Perhaps we should clean the wounds before putting him to bed, sir?" Alfred asked, his eyes starring intently at his friend's face. Bruce pulled off the cowl and for the first time that night his eyes met his butlers; complete burning sadness filled the orbs, no tears, but complete defeat.

"I'll clean him up, sir" the old man said to his friend placing a friendly hand on his shoulder, "You go up stairs, take a nice bath and I will be up shortly,"

Bruce nodded softly, his eyes closing for a brief moment before he finally found the nerve to stand up. Alfred watched him leave, deep inside he knew that though Bruce was hard-hitting and battled these villains on a daily basis he was still very adolescent. The Butler turned back to the sleeping form of the Joker and turning to get a sponge and water he knew he was in for a long, long night

* * *

Not very long, but at least it's an effort... right?... right?

...

Ah crud!

Yours insanely

Gollumfryingeggs!

* * *


	7. Torture Sessions

Ketsueki-Ken: Yay

Ketsueki-Ken: Yay! Thankies lots! Hope you enjoy the chapter and I'm sooooo glad you like it! Happy reading!

lacy cuttingham: ... whoops! Thanks for the pointer, in future chapters I'll be cleaning up that mess, but untill I have time (and stopp being a lazy arse) I'll leave the others like that for now. Thanks again and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Kenelfie: Yeah he does doesn't he? :D! I love the batman and I've always wanted to explore the relationship between him and his villians, I hope you guys at least anjoy the story as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Hazel: Yay! Thanks hazel! Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for reviewing!

BlackRoseVixen05: stares worriedly at cuddling riddler plushi person Glad you enjoy the fic... now please get back in your cell! We try to keep order here in Arkham! Thanks foe reviewing ;)!

Psi Fi: I'm sorry for the wait, but I've been a bit busy with RL! But I will try to update a bit sooner from now on! Thanks for reviewing!

Tacos Rock: Woowoo! Thanks luv! Hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

Twisted Midnight Dreams: I know they are kinda OOC, but like you said they are under a lot of torture session and lots of stress, but I will try in future chapters to pull them back in order!

kat3e: Woowoowaka! Thanks for the compliment luv ! Glad I made your day! Lol I'm happy you're enjyoing story, and I hope I can keep this up till the end! Lol!

Atticus620: ... that is soo true :(, still it's a lot of fun doing this to him! Lol!

wisdom-jewel: Yeah! I know it was a little short, but this one's nice and long, I hope you like it and thanks for reviewing!

GuesssWho: Will do! :) and thanks for the review!

AN: I am aware that I kinda forgot to answer a few reviewers from chapter 5 I would like to to the time to appologise to them and will be answering their reviews in the next chapter, or perhaps in the finaly Authors Notes Chapter. Still I hope guys like it!

* * *

**Torture Sessions**

"Well, well, Mr. Freeze looks like your friend has escaped,"

Victor Fries tried desperately to force air into his lungs, but he dared not reply to the lunatic. This doctor, this monster could not be described as human; it would be a disgrace a defile to all who knew this creature. Victor sighed as the doctor made another round, the frost mutant was currently held tightly by shackles, which reserved his hands and legs in place.

His arms were held above his head; his feet barely touching the ground, but all his powers were suppressed by the suit which they had donned him. How he wished for his gadget so he could tear these bastards limb from limb.

But no such luck.

"Quiet?" hissed the voice, "Much like your counter parts, this simply won't do Mr. Freeze-"

"Dr. Pen dragon?"

"What!" The mad doctor barked, his steely grey gaze focusing on the victim which loomed behind the frost mutant.

"There is a possibility that the Joker survived, sir"

There was a long and deadly pause; one could cut the cold tension with the tip of a knife. The Doctor moved from the shadows and stepped into the light, Victor glared at him he had seen him many times before, but never once could he get use to the face of his torturer;

Pitch black raven hair set like a mop on top of his head, the madmen's face was pale, almost grey and prominent check bones with a long face gave the effect of a very thin and lanky man. Which he was, but the single thing that Victor would never miss and could never forget were the eyes; cold grey steely eyes that could penetrate the very morale fiber of any human being sane or mad.

"Send in some scouts, see if it's true," The voice was deep, but very soft as if the man had never really learned to use it. Whoever stood behind the villain did not think there was need to reply as the door suddenly slammed shut.

"Until we find your friend," The doctor grinned, showing off graying teeth and pale lips, "You can hang here for a while,"

The madmen laughed as he made his way out of the cell, his heavy boots falling hard on the concrete floors beneath Victor. Cold eyes watched as he left, but despite his predicament, despite the pain Mr. Freeze smiled softly;

He had finally found a name to pin on the lunatic.

* * *

The icy waters engulfed the round man, chubby fingers scratched at the glass, his eyes wide, his lungs burned for air. Small eyes opened in the icy waters, their gaze falling on the people beyond his water cage.

'Please,' his mind whispered as the darkness threatened to engulf him, 'please help me,'

But he knew they would not, this was a new experiment they had begun, but he doubted he would survive.

He slammed his hands against the cool glass, trying one last desperate attempt to break his cage and find his freedom, but the glass held. Wearily his eyes began to close, the lack of oxygen to his brain finally taking its toll and watching the doctors he felt the strangest thoughts spurring through his mind;

'I wonder if those suits itch,'

"Release him," a voice whispered beyond the glass and just before he blanked out he felt the air plunged into his lungs.

"Amazing," one of the doctors said as they watched the Penguin silently begin to breath, "seven hours… he truly is a penguin,"

The other doctor giggled softly.

* * *

Fire red eyes shot open in the dark, their gaze filtering through the many shadows which loomed above and around them. Their owner did not move for the longest of times, as if almost fearful of doing so.

But his mind was reeling.

'Where am I?' is the tired old question, but one that seems to wriggle its way into any given situation; good or bad.

The pale face frowned softly when the new surroundings were identified as what seemed to be a cave… a very large, very elaborate cave mind you, but still a cave. Upon closer inspection it was even further classified as an extremely, elaborate, rather large, bat cave.

"… Bat…"

His dry throat whispered, but with that word hundreds upon hundreds of memories reeled through his mind. How he had come here, where he was…. who had brought him. Tired bones strained against taught muscles, spikes and snipes of pain shooting through his battered and bruised body. Pale hands pushed against the soft mattress forcing the clown into a sitting position. Pain engulfed him, but still no sound escaped his blistered lips.

The pain worsened and worsened until the clown was forced to stop and take a breather. His body shook terribly, but he needed to get out of here and find help, he needed to find Bats.

So focused on the pain he did not notice the figure that had carefully slipped into the cave while the Joker had been distracted. The old man stood motionless when he realized that this murderer was awake and very much alive. He had not wished for him dead, don't be fooled, he had merely hoped for this cretin to slip into a coma… no such luck though.

Joker was completely oblivious to the old man, his shoulders shook violently, and his eyes were sown shut to the world surrounding him. So taking a deep breath the old butler leaned forward and placed a careful hand upon the Joker's back, careful not to touch the wounded whip marks.

"Are you alright, sir?" he questioned, there was a pause, no movement could be found in the Joker's form, but too late did the Butler realize his error; before he could pull his hand away Joker's eyes snapped open and a large pale hand shot up. Grabbing Alfred's he flung the poor butler clean across the room. The clown was on his feet in a matter of seconds, but no smile graced his features.

His face contorted in fury and anger, his eyes blazing with a deep fire and something in his voice screamed 'madness!'

"Here to play with your toy?!" he screeched, his teeth bear in an angry and furious gesture…. He was beyond insane.

Alfred pushed himself up hastily, but he had landed badly against a table and his left hip was complaining heavily. "Oh, dear…" was all he had chance to say before the Joker charged at him at neck breaking speed. His eyes could rival the devils.

Joker charged with as much speed he could muster, ever single nerve in his body complained, but the fury inside his stomach had no objections to the turn of events. He needed to let of some steam.

His right arm retracted as he aimed the first blow, the huge white fist whistled through the air currents, its mission; to crack open the old mans jaw.

A black gloved hand shot out from the darkness, grasping the pale hand in a death grip before it could so much as touch the butler. Joker growled angrily, his left leg swinging up for a kick at the new comer; it hit true and slammed the person directly in what felt like his or her rib cage.

He grunted and Joker grinned, but the grin soon vanished when his eyes beheld who he had initially attacked;

The Batman.

The pain suddenly felt so much more real, his breathing harsh and wheezing and closing his eyes he felt for the first time in days to cry out in _joy_. The wounds might be agony and the exhaustion of the previous fight may have been the worst one yet, but there was hope.

The Big Bat had found him and for the time being, he was safe.

Batman growled angrily when the Joker caught him with a surprise attack, even with wounds that would put any normal person in a bloody coma; the clown was still as big a problem as ever. He had half expected another blow to follow the first one, but when none came his gaze flickered upwards.

The Joker stood completely still and his face graced a simple smile, he had never seen the Clown smile quite like this, almost a calm sort of happy smile one might find in someone who was enjoying a brisk summer's breeze in winter.

"Joker?" he questioned, the clown stared at him for a moment longer before suddenly breaking into his traditional trademark grin.

"Batsy!" he screeched, "Good to see you!"

Batman frowned at the sudden change in the Joker's attitude, but then again Joker was completely irrationally insane and this could very well be expected of the mad man.

Confusion soon turned into concern as the clown suddenly started to sway back and forth, his grin fading softly from his features before suddenly collapsing. The Batman was ready this time as he leapt up in the nick of time to grab the clown before he could hit the floor.

Batman stared sadly at the Joker, the same dread and sadness as the night before befalling the caped crusader. He had never been this unsure in his life, here in his hands was the most feared villain in all of Gotham, a monster of monsters, someone he should lock up as soon as possible. And yet he found himself incapable of doing so, even though he knew for a fact this madman would sooner turn on him than look at him he couldn't bring himself to betray the Jokers trust.

The Batman was the good guy after all.

"You okay Alfred?" Bruce asked his butler as he picked up the feather weight Joker into his powerful arms.

"A little rattled, but unharmed, sir," The old man pushed himself up from the ground a pained growl barely suppressed between his lips. Batman didn't seem to notice as he carefully placed the Joker back onto the bed. Alfred took a deep silent breath, closed his eyes and carefully made his way over to his master and friend.

But Alfred had not taken two steps when a black shadow suddenly loomed over the poor man. The butler took a step back, winced and stood motionless for a long, long moment.

"Unharmed?" a deep voice whispered, seeming very displeased.

Alfred swallowed, "Perhaps I landed a little harder than I originally thought," the old man replied, breathing heavily. Batman raised an inquisitive eyebrow at his friend and advisor, Alfred might be a very wise man, but he never quite grasped the concept of 'asking for help'.

Bruce Wayne shook his head softly and smiled. "Let me help you into the house-"

He was cut short by alarms and flashing lights, his disappeared immediately and giving an apologetic look at Alfred he carefully let go and silently checked the screens. The bat-signal had been activated in the sky, it seems Gordon wanted a word with their caped crusader.

"Don't worry, sir" Alfred said with a smile, "I'll be fine-" he never had the slightest chance of finishing, the Batman grabbed the butler from behind and scooped the old man into his strong arms. Alfred, despite himself squeaked at the sudden change in events and quickly found himself in the monitor rooms.

"Keep an eye on the Joker," Batman said as he urgently settled Alfred into one of the chairs. "If anything funny happens, let me know immediately, we've already seen what he can do even in poor health, so keep your eyes peeled."

"Will do, sir" Alfred said seriously, his gaze locked with Bruce's for a moment and they both shared a smile.

"Be careful Alfred," Bruce whispered, "He might be injured, but he's still a killer and a very good one at that,"

Alfred nodded softly and with one more smile Bruce Wayne stormed out of the room and exited through the secret passage. A moment later Alfred could hear the roar of the Bat Mobile and sitting back comfortably Alfred's gaze focused on the screens before him. He just hoped silently that nothing bad happened during his wait for Master Bruce's return.

* * *

Got a new chapter up! Do the monkey with the Golum who loves cows! Woohoo! Save cows! Slugs! And chickens! Fight for the rights of bees everywhere! Woohoo!

I got a new bloody chapter up!

Yours insanely

Golumfryingeggs!


	8. Allies

Okay…. you guys have given the story quite a few reviews /eyes bulging/ I can't believe you guys like this story so much, but I'm really, really, really, really, really glad you do! Thanks for reviewing guys and sorry for the long waits in between the chapters. I hope this one makes up for it though!

Unfortunately I can't answer every review from now on, so I'm going to leave comments at the end of the story that might answer quite a few questions and so on. That is to say if they hadn't already been answered lol!

Well on with the chapter and once again thanks for all the loverly reviews! :D!

Yours insanely

Golumfryingeggs

* * *

**Allies**

The silence upon the roof top was thick. Gordon stood perfect still as he waited, his heart thumped in his chest, his breathing hitched somewhere inside his throat and somewhere deep inside his soul he was silently praying for protection. He knew that there was something amiss in Gotham, though the question remained; what? It was the dread, a prayer against the dread that he so desperately wanted to wish away in the world.

But still it loomed about him, about the rooftops engulfing all who stood to close. Gordon sighed.

"You called for me?"

Gordon forced himself to turn around slowly, after the first few times of practically jumping out of his skin he had skillfully learned to steel his nerves in the presence of this bat. And besides he wasn't in the mood for jumping like a five year old girl.

"Yes," he began, his gaze focused slightly in the distance as if trying to gather his thoughts. The Batman waited patiently.

"We have reports about the Joker," he finally said, "It seems our little clown friend has been causing quite a ruckus,"

Batman remained quiet for the time being.

"It was he who blew up the toy factory, though we're not sure why yet." The commissioner kicked rather moodily at a small pebble on the roof. He seemed very deep in thought and Batman couldn't help but feel a sense of worry, there was something very wrong, but the policeman was neglecting to tell him. Gordon sighed, "You know anything about that?"

Batman raised an eyebrow beneath the cowl, but responded nonetheless, "I do know the Joker had been missing for a few months now… he blew up the toy factory for a reason I can not reveal to you just yet,"

The commissioner frowned, seeming very displeased, Batman didn't blame him. "You mean to tell me" he started his voice dripping with malice, "You know why he decided to blow up the toy factory, but you refuse to tell me?"

"There were no casualties," Batman stated calmly "At the moment it is irrelevant why he decided to destroy the building, what I do know is something very strange has been going on, why did almost all the villains disappear from Gotham for a good two months and then suddenly one appears and decided to blow up a children's warehouse?"

"The records show that all of them have been in Arkham for these past few months!" Gordon snapped back.

Batman said nothing.

Gordon sighed wearily, "I'm not sure what has been going on, but I promise you one thing…" he turned his back from the bat and gazed at the city which loomed beyond the glaring light of the Bat-signal, "We're going to find out."

He turned around, but the Batman was long gone, just like the darkness he had left without so much as a sound nor a trace that he had ever even been there.

Gordon turned around and returned to the streets below, the world awaited and crime was afoot.

* * *

Edward hugged his knees tightly, desperately trying to get some form of heat back into his shivering form. After the Joker had escaped they had started to double their experiments on all of them, his body ached, his stomach growled, but this time there was no one there to even pretend not to give comfort.

They had all been split up, each placed in a cell away from the other. The remaining three of them had not screamed nor tried to fight, they had gone quietly, and it would not do to show emotion, not in front of the orderlies… or each other. They were villains not heroes who could cry in each others arms, they were the reason people locked their doors at night, they did not scream for their rights nor fought to remain close to one another.

They are villains.

They feared nothing.

They cared for no one.

….because they were villains.

Silently he felt a fool, maybe if they weren't so indifferent towards each other, they would have busted out of here long ago. Victor and Joker seemed to have the right idea; he could smell their friendship blossoming a mile away.

It made him sick.

But at the same time…

…

… It gave him hope.

Edward sneered silently at this thought, hope? Hope was no where to be found in this place, only a dreary darkness and blackened shadows. Hope usualy was the light at the end of the tunnel, the silver lining around the darkened cloud, but light can not shine in a world where shadows would claim it. No light has shon here for weeks and he knew why; because hope was no where to be found.

He hugged his body closer still, his mind praying for some form of release from this hell hole. Screams tore through the building, filtering through every nook and cranny it could find, it bounced off metal causing the echo to tenfold as it screeched through the doors and rooms of the occupants.

Edward shut his eyes tightly, forcing the scream away as he covered his ears with his blooded hands. Somewhere inside he knew the scream, he knew whose it was, but his mind forced his senses downwards, he did not need this right now. He just silently prayed that the one who screamed would survive the next experiment.

"Feedin' time!"

Eyes wide Edward looked up as the 'feeder' entered the room with a tray full of slop. His stomach recoiled at the sight, but somewhere inside he was practically famished, anything even that slop would fill that burning hole at least.

The feeder moved closer, in the doorway stood two more of the 'Marauders' just in case Eddie tried to do something stupid.

Strangely enough it knelt right in front of the Riddler, his face hidden by the white mask, it proceeded to take off the slop from the tray and placed it next the glaring Riddler. Edward was very wary of this one; they normally just dumped the food by the door then stormed out as quickly as they could. But this one had come close, very close as in 'in my personal space' close.

Edward responded, by pushing his body closer to the wall and glaring the man who was taking off the glass of water.

He didn't seem to mind and after placing the third and final item on the floor Riddler expected the bastard to fuck off. But he didn't, instead he surprised the Riddler by reaching into his robe and pulling out a fourth item; a thick bun.

Edwards's eyes widened, his mouth watered, but he refused to reach out for it, just in case the blasted marauder was teasing him.

The Orderly placed the bun next to the slop just out of sight of the other two marauders by the door. Edward couldn't believe it, he wanted to say something, but he didn't know what. All the words in the world could not express the gratitude he felt and yet at the same time his inner pride prevented him from even saying the words 'thank you'.

"Who are you?" Riddler finally managed, his eyes still focused on the bun next to him.

"My mum once said," the voice was slightly higher pitched than he had expected, but he didn't even register this fact. "For every occasion there is only one saying;"

"And what is that?" he couldn't help himself asking and finally looking at the orderly.

Shadowed eyes focused on the Riddler, he could feel the examination taking place through eyes he could not see in the darkness. He had wondered if the man was going to answer at all, but finally he did;

"This too shall pass," he said, a trace of a smile evident in the high-pitched voice.

The marauder had left, but Edwards hadn't even noticed, he didn't register the snide remarks they had said as they shut the door. He didn't register the shaking of his hands or the wetness of his cheeks until long after, for at that moment he could only think of four magnificent words;

_This too shall pass, this too shall pass, this too shall pass…_

And suddenly…

Hope seemed to be so, so much closer.

* * *

Well there you go…. /still in daze at how many reviews it got/ …. Right….

/mutters mutters/ "restraining order"… /mutters/

Yours insanely

Golumfryingeggs!


	9. Labled Memories

Woohoo! We made the one hundred marker! Thanks to everyone who is reading or reviewing this story or both for that matter! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I'm sorry for taking so long, I have been dying without me comp :( but now I'm back in action!

I am personally not happy with this Chapter, so any complaints or pains would be expected, if there are too many I might be replacing it with the alternate chapter.

But still thanks again for reviewing and I hope ya'll enjoy thissin next instalment!

* * *

**Labeled Memories**

Penguin stretched his neck uneasily, pain shot through his stiff body caressing every muscle until his eyes burned with tears; an audible crack pop in his neck and he sighed with relief. His eyes fluttered open, drinking in the mucky room and filthy surroundings he quickly realized where he was; his cell. Not his cozy Arkham cell, oh no, fate would not be that kind, just the plain devil cell which has been his prison for about two months now.

The man lifted himself stiffly from the stone floor, his bones and muscles screaming their protests with painful shouts and grunts. In the past few weeks he had eaten almost nothing and it was showing; his usually plump body was becoming thinner and thinner with each passing day.

"Pretty soon I'll be a stork instead of a penguin" he growled as he shuffled over to the steel door, which sealed away his freedom, he wanted to tear that door down, break its hinges and rip it from its frame, but he knew he couldn't. Another sigh threatened to pass his lips, but he restrained it, the last thing he wanted was to show weakness in front of these Marauders. He was never one for weakness; few villains were, having far too much pride in his bones to resort to such a thing. He never cried, although his anger might get the better of him Oswald Cobblepot was not one to break down.

Ever.

The Penguin might not be crying or sighing, but something was bothering him though, he couldn't quite place it, but he knew there was something amiss in his cell. His brow furrowed as he gazed in the blackness of his prison. He knew that something was definitely amiss, but for some reason he couldn't decipher what it was. Penguin surveyed his surroundings carefully, maybe something had been moved? Perhaps he was in a different cell? He closed his eyes feeling the strain of the past few weeks finally catching up with him.

He wasn't sure how long he could hold on like this.

He wasn't being beaten as much as the others were, but these experiments were enough to drive anyone insane. He wished he knew why they were doing this, why they had resort a man of his stature to this. Oswald knew his questions would fall on deaf ears, which made it so much harder to take in.

He opened his eyes once more and focusing softly on the floors his eyes finally found what was off in his cell. His food dish was missing, he tilted his head to the side, they never removed his dish unless it was feeding time and he wasn't hungry. Come to think of it he felt rather, well full. Oswald closed his eyes once more, trying to gather his memories, anything which might have been lost under those needles and tortures.

He vaguely remembered something… a soft couch… a good book and… and… smoked fish…

Was he losing his mind? He smirked mentally, he had already lost his mind long ago losing it twice would just be impossible. His eyes snapped open again, but there was no book, no couch and definitely no fish. He gave his head a good shake and shuffled over to the corner, where a small blanket awaited him. He carefully sat down and desperately tried to think, maybe it was a dream? Yes, yes a dream a good dream, it would explain why he remembered it, it was something he desperately wanted!

He paused. Penguin rolled his tongue in his mouth for a few moments; a deep frowned settled on his features.

_If it was only a dream…_

_Then why can I taste smoked fish?_

Penguin buried his face in his three fingered hands, he wished he knew, he wished desperately for this nightmare to end, to stop to cease existing. He found himself wishing he could go home to his birds, his beautiful birds! Penguin took a soft shaky breath, making sure it would not be heard beyond the door and then he did something he had not done in a very, very long time;

He wept.

* * *

The Batcave was silent; an eerie stillness had cascaded across the room after the ordeal only a mere hour before. But on a cot, in the darkness a lone figure sat, his shoulders hunched as if protecting himself from the imaginary monsters from outside. His body was fragile his spirit broken, but still a smile played on his lips.

The Joker didn't feel much like moving at the moment, his gaze staring down at his hands he wondered where his batsy was at the moment. Out fighting a criminal?

He snorted.

Unlikely, all the good villains were locked away in that hell hole. He suppressed a shiver at the thought of that place, but his mind contemplated the thought nonetheless, what was happening now? Not that he was worried; he told himself he was just curious.

"_Curious as to whether they're alright_" a voice said in his head.

"Shut-up" the clown barked angrily.

"_Fair enough_" the voice retorted, "_But I'm not the one talking to myself_,"

Joker paused at this, a sudden frown where his lips once smiled, he considered and pondered this a moment before he reached a conclusion;

"Then who the hell are you talking to?" he asked.

"_I am speaking to you, meaning the something which exists, but does not really in my terms of existence. I am in all reality not speaking; merely because in all reality I do not in fact exist to be spoken to as I am merely a fantasy and illusion of your rather twisted mind. In other words you got a rather nasty bump on the head and now you're hearing voices_."

Joker paused.

"You're pretty damn smart for a hallucination!"

"_Touché_"

Joker shook his head, but thankfully the voice did not return. His eyes shifted from his palms to the ceiling where the bats hung from the cave walls, black wings flapped in the darkness of the cave as little eyes sparkled on the ceiling. A sudden emptiness engulfed him and pushing himself into a standing position he glared straight ahead as the fiery emotion engulfed him completely.

He needed to see Batman.

* * *

Batman screeched to a halt in the cave, the steam rising from the engine in the icy breath of the cave, the darkness was illuminated by the blue lights and leaning back Batman forced himself to relax the taught muscles in his muscular body. This was turning out to be one rough day; upon hearing from the commissioner he had hoped that Gordon would tell him that the police were on the trail of the criminals or at least that they had in fact gone missing!

He scolded himself for not checking that out before going to Gordon.

Opening the mobile he leapt out and made his way to the batcave, his thoughts were everywhere at once, so many questions, so few answers and even less leads. If the villains _were_ in Arkham then why was the Joker in such bad shape? A lie? It very well could be; it was the Joker they were talking about not some innocent thief. Batman huffed angrily, he felt frustrated with the knowledge that he was in the dark… quite literally! He would have to interrogate Joker until the clown fesses up… he just hoped he would like the answer he got.

Bruce started up the staircase his mind still wondering around the many questions in his head, but he never reached the entrance to the cave; a sudden explosion tore through the walls and knocked him completely off balance, he found himself grabbing anything to prevent himself from falling down the stairs. Finally getting his footing under control Batman jumped up and stormed up the stairs as quickly as his feet allowed him.

His eyes widened upon seeing his beloved Batcave. Everything from computers to tracking devices to batarangs was strewn across the cave floor. He felt a boiling anger engulf him, this was his life's work and most of it, if not all of it was destroyed! The Batman quickly realized that most of his electrical appliances were very much dead, but his anger ten folded when his gaze found the culprit.

"Joker!"

The clown prince of crime turned around, his face rather stunned at the sight of the Batman.

"My, my that was fast! Should have thought of that in the first place, Batsy!" the clown grinned, showing off his white teeth and blazing red mouth.

"What have you done?" Batman growled closing the distance between them and grabbing the bastard by his shirt. He pulled the clown closer, their faces inches apart.

Joker's grin, if possible, widened even further as the fire red eyes stared right through the Batman, "Well you really should put some sort of warning on those explosive batarangs batsy."

Batman promptly dropped the Joker causing the clown to fall flat on his behind. He stalked over to a caged door; the lock having been broken off, but inside was titanium boxes; destroyed with some sort of spanner. He heaved one up and showed the blasted clown the labeling in bright red letters;

'EXPLOSIVE! DO NOT OPEN!'

The clown stared at it for a moment, but soon the smile was back full force; "Red hurts my eyes,"

Batman carefully took a deep breath, dropped the box and desperately tried to bring his anger down to stable. Why was he helping this bastard? If the Joker was lying then all he had to do was take the idiot back to Arkham! But he had to be sure. He slowly started counting to ten and forced his breathing to regular. It would not do to kill the clown just because of this small, _minor_ incident.

Twenty seconds later he replied;

"Get on the bed," was all he could say and to his complete surprise the clown obeyed, rather stiffly, but he did reach the cot and flopped down onto it. Batman closed in on the pale faced man and glaring at him for all he was worth he said in a deep menacing voice;

"Stay here until I get back"

Joker winked at him and said in a luscious voice; "I'll be waiting batsy"

The Batman didn't even reply he just glided through the door with as much self restrain as he could muster and stormed into the surveillance room where Alfred was still sitting. His butler seemed a little more worried than normal as he stormed in, he slammed the door shut with as much force as he could muster, but seeing his butler flinch at the sound quickly brought his raging temper down a few notches. He didn't need to take this out on Alfred, even without a cracked hip what could the man have done to stop Joker?

"Are you alright, sir?" Alfred asked carefully, he stared worriedly at his Master, he could practically feel the tension burning just below the surface. When Bruce didn't reply he continued softly; "I am sorry for the damage, sir I was about to call you, but then you came in, there wasn't much I could've done-"

"I know Alfred," Bruce sighed pulling off the mask, "I know"

The butler chose to remain quiet after that and decided to give his master and friend a chance to reply. Bruce wasn't himself; he was far too quiet even for the Batman. Alfred had known this man since the man was but a mere boy and though he knew not to pry he sometimes couldn't help himself;

"Might I inquire, sir-" he started softly, but Bruce cut him short once more.

"The villains are not missing at Arkham," he said wearily and Alfred could physically see the strain in each word. Bruce finally locked eyes with his own and what he saw that dark eye was extreme fatigue.

"I'm sorry?"

"Apparently none of the inmates are missing. No break outs, no transfers, nothing! They're apparently still stuck and happy in Arkham." His eyes flickered to the screens and spied the Joker who seemed to be talking to himself.

"Does this mean that we take him back to Arkham?"

He broke his gaze from the monitors to look at his butler and the sudden drain returned full force.

"No," he said firmly, "I don't know why, but something about this incident just doesn't feel right, Joker is a murderer, but…" But what? He deserves a second chance? No that wasn't it. Because somewhere in those red eyes you saw someone who is screaming for help from inside. He had only seen it in a passing moment after Joker had attacked him and Alfred earlier, but it had been there.

"Just… not yet," he said finally and Alfred gave him a long piercing stare which he tried valiantly to ignore. It wasn't working, but Alfred thankfully decided to drop the subject for the time being.

"Before you go gallivanting again, sir" Alfred stood up, taking care to keep his weight off the bad hip. "You've been invited to our dear Arkham Asylum for a function tomorrow; and before you say no!" he held up his hand just as Bruce opened his mouth; "it would be a good way to get your mind off of things"

Bruce sighed, Alfred was right, he needed to let off some steam and this would be a great opportunity to do just that.

And besides he could always take a little peak into the Arkham files while no one is looking. Bruce looked over at Alfred the same piercing gaze was still focused on him.

Of course he could always enjoy the party….

…but for now…

…. he had a clown to interrogate.

* * *

Thanks again guys for all the reviews! I'm glad you're enjoying this story and don't worry; the next one won't take so long ;) Once again thank you, thank you and again thank you!

"_We can't hold 'em back Captain!"_

"_We're losing the starboard side!"_

_The reviews poured in drowning the lonely boat in all its glory, or the little glory it had at one point was washed away by the reviews which tore the sails with angry whips and snarls._

"_We can't find it!" the first mate screeched, "We can't find the blasted thing!"_

_The captain stormed from his cabin a small parcel in his left hand, the waves crashed against his beautiful ship, destroying her almost to the brink of no return. He ran to the front and pulling his arm back he flung the brown package into the air._

_It whistled through the winds and landed with a 'plop' into the water. The reviews screeched in unison and all went quiet._

_The crew mates stared at one another, their hearts slamming in their insignificant chests until finally the First Mate spoke up, "What now Captain?" he asked carefully, his gaze still staring at the many reviews which loomed in the depths below._

_The captain spun around, his eyes ablaze; "Now?" he barked; "Now we find the next bloody chapter!"_

Thanks again!

Yours insantly Golumfryingeggs


	10. Promise

Happy Christmas, Merry New Year and… well yeah! A little present from me to you and to top it off my next chapter will be and running but tomorrow! A little gift in the Christmas/New Year spirit, from me to you.

Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews; I hope this new chapter will be better than the last.

I Hope you guys got lots of presents, tons of duck/chicken/lamb and potato salad to eat and I hope the fireworks was a lot better than ours!

I hope you enjoy!

**Promise**

Winds fluttered through the streets of Gotham, they seemed slightly distant upon this night, their power seeming to falter through the heavy traffic and streets. Storm winds were being taken second to the soft breeze, and the bustling humans of the city didn't seem to mind in the least.

They watched as the breeze filtered through soft fabrics, caressed the milky skin of children on playgrounds and rustled through the few remaining plants within this metallic jungle. But though they were grateful for the soft breeze, the people never showed it, they always took the breezes and small mercies for granted, going about their busy life in the endless cycle of the city.

The two figures hid behind the alley, their bodies hidden by shadows and long black coats. One with a bowler hat seemed to be smoking a short pipe, the other, his face hidden by a ragged scarf and an old cowboy hat seemed to be looking out for something among the bustling citizens.

"Does he know?" the pipe smoker asked as he puffed a perfect ring into the night air.

"Know what?"

"Who you are!" he barked angrily, his eyes flashing underneath the bowler hat.

The second man remained silent for a long moment; his focus still on the people just beyond the alley, their business seemed to fascinate him beyond desire. He stared at them almost longingly.

"No," he answered firmly in a rather high pitched voice, finally deciding to look at the smoker. "And so it shall stay,"

"Why are you doing this?" the smoker suddenly asked, "It's not like you owe him or them, for that matter, anything!"

He stayed silent once more, turning back to the bustling streets, the world was calming now as the night started to sweep the city into darkness. Few people remained outside when the lights decided to go out, when the sun goes to sleep, it's not safe.

"Because I can," he stated simply still eyeing the people scurrying into their homes as the darkness enveloped Gotham City.

The winds carried softly onward, cooling the people of Gotham almost lovingly, but never kindly. These winds still had a reputation to uphold after all. They proceeded past the heavy metal earth, moving onwards reaching for the green life just beyond the city and entering the brisk forests. They shot through them a little quicker, picking up the pace and pushing onwards, rustling the leaves with soft cooling fingers of winds and air. The winds crashed into another element; water. The soft breeze battled and broke through the waterfall and just barely licked into the cave.

They filtered and dances through the cave, almost carefully and a little grateful it would seem. Their power almost diminished they came upon the scene, the two men in heated discussion seemed oblivious to them and deciding to fly a little further, the winds fluttered in-between them and disappeared into the shadows.

The Batman glared at the Joker, his eyes weary, his demeanor ready to murder. The clown seemed casual as always; he was happily snooping around the batcave, his forever grin painted and plastered onto his white features. Batman had half a mind to give the clown a good thump on the head, but decided against it, Joker was no use to him unconscious.

"Let's try this again;" The batman growled more than said. His gaze burned into the Joker's who was currently standing in the middle of the batcave, seeming far more interested in his surroundings than in the Batman.

"Where were you being kept?" he asked with as much self control as he could spare at the moment.

Joker gazed at the roof of the cave, which was blanketed in the many bats which had claimed it as home. The gadgets and mechanics have never reached the roof and this gave the bats as much privacy as they could ask for in this cave. Joker found this intriguing it seemed he was quite fascinated by the little things.

"_Joker_!" Batman snapped, finally loosing patience.

The clown shrugged, "I don't remember batsy… oh! Lookey here!" The clown danced, rather painfully to a white bat suit, the exact one The Dark Knight had used against Mr. Freeze. The Joker's eyes sparkled with interest, his grin practically tearing his face in two,

"It really doesn't have the same pizzazz without you in there!" He was speaking in what seemed to be a British accent. "I should give it a two out of ten, the terror seems to have died from what we are use to seeing Batman. Tut tut tut"

"Just tell me where you came from!"

The Joker smiled sweetly at the Batman, grabbing an odd hanging cable he pulled himself airborne, batted his eyes and said with a smile, "Blame my parents, batsy!"

Batman glared at the clown and Joker quickly got the message;

"I already told you;" he stated simply "I don't know sweetie!"

"Then why did you come to me?" the Batman growled, he knew he promised to help the Joker, but despite his promise he still couldn't help but feel the nagging little voice in the back of his head which told him to watch out. Joker was unpredictable, crazy and the best of the best schemers.

The Joker pulled his legs over his head and hung them over the cable, now hanging upside down he grinned happily at the batman, who was fighting to keep his anger intact. Joker was hurting, badly, but he was still seemed to be enjoying these antics.

"Merely because I knew you could help me Batman," he stated simply, shrugging his shoulders, "All I remember was jumping into what seemed to be salty water, with a lot of rocks."

Batman resisted pinching the bridge of his nose, this was not going to be easy, "You jumped into the sea?"

"Exactly!" Joker cried excitedly, "See I knew you were the right one to come to Bats-!"

Joker squealed as the cable suddenly gave way, the clown crashed to the ground, head first. Joker grunted in pain, but it was soon replaced with loud laughter, it tore from him in what seemed to be spasms, his eyes shut tight he laughed until tears trickled from his eyes, until he could barely breath.

Batman stormed forwards, his patience wearing thin, he was trying to help this him, but no matter how hard he tried the blasted clown would no cooperate. He grabbed Joker by the hem of his shirt and pulled him from the ground, earning him a sudden yelp from the Jester.

He held the Joker at arm's length and then carefully he let go. Joker watched in what seemed to be held in laughter as Batman pulled his arm away, the clown swayed dangerously, but he held himself up nonetheless. Bruce was starting develop a nasty headache, why couldn't this clown just for once, make things easy?

He sighed inwardly, he wouldn't give up though, he had promised and no matter what it takes he would get to the bottom of this.

"Joker," Batman started once more, "You told me that the others; Penguin, Mr. Freeze and Riddler are locked away and are in the same condition as you," Batman was desperately fighting the primal instinct to just beat the information out of the clown, but he knew that wouldn't work and besides he didn't need to further the clown's already precarious condition.

At least not for now, that is.

He needed to keep his head… for as long as possible.

"Try to remember," he was _not_ pleading, but he was perhaps a little desperate at this stage.

Joker stared at him, surprisingly silent this time, his red eyes burned with… something, something Batman had never seen before in the clown, but for some reason couldn't place the emotion. The clown's eyes drifted downwards… and then silence.

"Joker?" Batman questioned.

No reply.

"Joker!" This time he snapped, but still the clown remained silent.

Batman sighed angrily; this was not going according to plan, not at bloody all. He stood from his position and turned away from the clown, he had had enough, and perhaps later the clown would be more cooperative.

He swept away in a swift motion the soft breeze catching the cape with weakened hands, their power within these cave walls were dying and fast.

"…I promised…"

Batman suddenly stopped, he was already halfway across the room, but with his sonar ears he heard every word. Slowly he turned around to look at the clown, Joker still hadn't lifted his gaze, but there was something different about the lanky man. He seemed so… defeated, completely and utterly defeated and perhaps a little broken. Bruce took a few steps closer, to make sure the clown new he had his attention.

"Promised?" The batman questioned the sudden silent clown.

"Them" Joker answered softly, his gaze finally left the ground and gazed at the masked marauder. And inside batman froze dead, Joker's gaze tore through him, stripping him bare, there was far too much emotion in that single gaze and to his amazement it terrified him. One part wanted to turn and run, the other wanted to hold the Joker and promise him it would be alright, but he never had the chance to do either.

Joker's eyes suddenly widened, his mouth opened, perhaps to scream, but instead of screaming or yelling blood poured from his ruby lips, spilling onto the floor and himself, the clown collapsed onto his knees, his one arm clutching at his stomach, the other his head. It happened so suddenly that it took a full moment for Batman to realize that the Joker was in trouble. He leapt into action and quickly kneeled next to the Joker who was coughing and wheezing like crazy.

"Where does it hurt?" Batman asked.

"Everywhere!" the clown choked as more blood squirted from his mouth, his muscles seeming to go into spasms. For the first time in his life, Batman did not know what to do, he watched helplessly as Joker silently screeched inside, his body not allowing a sound apart from a few whimpers to escape.

Then just as suddenly it stopped, the clown went limp, his eyes fluttered shut and then all was quiet. A few bats flapped above, their beating winds creating soft currents, but the Joker did not move further. Batman felt terror engulf him, for some unknown reason he couldn't bring himself to move. The clown was so quiet so… dead…

Please, don't be...

His fingers trembled slightly as he pressed them against the pale neck.

A pulse.

Bruce released a breath he didn't even know he was holding.

Without a word he lifted the clown and replaced him onto the now bloody mattress. A sorrowful gaze could be found within the eyes of the Knight, but something else, a sense of duty shimmered through as well, as if he was mentally making a promise, inside his heart he knew that this bond would not be broken.

That was a promise.

*

"Riddler!"

Eddie felt a lot stronger than ever, with renewed strength and the sudden fighter's spirit breaking through his soul he felt the need to do something.

"Get down, now!"

And that something was escape.

The thin man ran as fast as his legs would allow him, if Joker had done it then so could he. He saw his destination; the small window at the end of the hallway. His head snapped back, the marauders were charging full speed at him. Blood rushed to his head when he realized they were catching up, taking a deep breath he ran faster and faster, so close.

He could smell the salt air, freedom was but a few steps away, he smiled internally, feeling the sudden joy engulf him, he was free, he only needed to open the-

Strong arms encircled him, Enigma felt his eyes widened, the sudden dread creeping into his heart, "No!" he screeched, the salt air brushing his lips, freedom was in his grasp. Every muscle in his body fought against these arms, battling them for all he was worth. He would take his freedom by force.

"Mr. Enigma" the soft voice spoke from the shadows.

The Rilddler turned his head slightly to the man who spoke; Pen dragon. That bastard! He fought harder until finally a second 'orderly' came to help, he was caught between the two now.

_A rock and a hard place, it would seem_. He growled internally.

The man smiled sadistically, his eyes burning with what seemed to be victory, his face contorted into smugness. This was not happening! The bastard was moving closer this time, his steps deliberate and a certain victorious swagger in his movements. Every ounce in his body told him to kill the idiot there and then, but he _could not move_.

The black haired weasel leaned in closer, their lips a hair breath apart, Enigma felt disgust pour into his stomach, but restrained himself from throwing up… just barely.

"Nice try," the man said with a grin.

Enigma promptly spat in his eye. He smiled at the surprised expression on Pen Dragon's face and mentally ticked a victory point up for him on the board. Pen dragon stepped back and wiped the spit from his left eye with a forced calmness.

"I think and early session is in order," Pen dragon droned and gave Enigma another smile, this one brought dread and fear, but enigma did not falter, his glare intensified and just for good measure he spat again, this time hitting the idiot on his forehead.

Edward knew he was in trouble, but he couldn't wipe the smile from his face, he couldn't stop the chuckle slip through his grasp and this only angered Pen Dragon more, which in turn absolutely made Eddie's day.

*

Mr. Freeze looked up from his brooding as the scream echoed through the building. He knew them well, but these were not painful they were complete terror. Inwardly he felt a small prayer come from within, he wasn't soft, but he wished for Edward to come out there alive.

The screams continued long into the night and Mr. Freeze felt a sudden fear enter his heart, but the prayer escaped his lips.

"Joker, please hurry…"

The screams continued until the voice broke, until he could scream no more and then the mechanical machines continued to drone until the sun skimmed across the horizon, until their food was brought for breakfast and then finally the machines stopped.

I watched the dark knight and I seemed to have found a slight fancy towards Gordon… don't ask, the guy's just so… sweet, honest, loyal, determined, good natured and so cute!

Ahem.

Anyway I might be posting another story in due time about our little boy in blue, /sigh/ he's just to die for! In a fatherly sort of way… not – not in a, well you know… um…. With the candles and the… well um… /blushes/

Just review!


	11. Lies and Deceit

Okay hey guys! Sorry for taking so long, but this time I have an excuse! A couple actually. Firstly I went on vacation TWICE! This is a bloody miracle in itself as I haven't gone on one in 14 years.

I had Internet troubles (again), don't even get me started on this. And finally my beta and I had a lot of trouble to establish a connection.

Sigh.

Excuses aside I have to add a little thank you note to Crisis Project for helping me with this chapter. She gave me some great ideas, helped me with a lot of grammar work and gave the chapter a better outlook I'd say. I had wanted to resend the chapter to her for re evaluation after the first editing, but decided against it.

You guys have been waiting long enough!

So if there are anymore spelling mistakes or grammar faults, it will all be on my head ;)

Wow… that was a lot and now on with the story!

Yours insanely

Gollumfryingeggs

* * *

**Lies and Deceit**

The atmosphere was radiating with a wondrous aroma which cascaded through the sinuses of the many inhabitants of the asylum. The people gathered around, gossiping about nothings and something's, keeping them busy while listening to the magnificent music which filled the night air.

Ariel Oliver smiled sweetly at the many people surrounding her, giving friendly greetings, but politely keeping her distance. Her feet ached, her hands were itchy underneath the white gloves and the tight red gown she had chosen for the night was not agreeing with her earlier pizza munchies. Ariel closed her eyes for a moment and desperately tried to remember why she was here, besides the fact that she was the organizer and was asked to join the blasted party on behalf of her boss.

It was a function to raise some money to fund some project for the Asylum, she couldn't remember what it exactly was at the moment, but she didn't really mind seeing as she wouldn't be the one giving out her money tonight.

She was in no mood for conversing upon this night; it was far, far too tiresome an activity at the moment. After working all hours in the morning, evening, afternoon and any other hour one could think of she was about as energetic as a salted slug.

Ariel took a quick moment to survey the Asylum hall; everyone seemed to be preoccupied and basically not interested in her. Taking a moment she quickly brushed down her raven black hair with a gloved hand, trying to better her appearance. The tight gown was making her boiling hot in the already steaming atmosphere and as a result her carefully applied make-up was starting to give away to the sweat.

"Just great" she muttered.

How she wished to be back in her home, with her fluffy bed, mattress, pillow and duvet. Though some things just had to be endured, no matter how bitter they made you.

"Damn this bloody world!" she growled, deserving her a few strange stares. She gave a sarcastic smile and stomped off, but a few steps further her plastic red high heel gave way and Ariel quickly slowed down to a walk. Ariel gritted her teeth and carefully tried to avoid any people in the next few minutes as her bruised ankle throbbed painfully under the long gown. "Why did I agree to this?" she wondered as she slowly sat down in a nearby chair, the pain slowly dying away. This time she spoke a little softer, "I mean, I'm an intelligent girl I don't need…"

But soon her words died away, her anger's and worries were filtered from her head and the most amazing thing in her insignificant life happened;

Bruce Wayne walked in

Her heart skipped a beat; this was the most marvelous thing she had ever seen walking on two legs: black hair, blue eyes a body to die for and amazingly; perfect. Her stomach made a flip, her knees felt weak, but she stood up sticking her nose in the air, she gave her dress a quick feel over, brushed a stray lock behind her ear and strode over to the handsome young man.

"Mr. Wayne!"

He turned to look at her and she felt herself grow weak once more - _how could this gem be single?_ Well tonight she would make sure he would be good and taken, for herself of course.

"Good evening, miss…?" the handsome devil frowned slightly, but his charming smile somehow still remained plastered on his perfectly chiseled face.

"Oliver," she answered with an air of arrogance. "Miss Ariel Oliver, I am the head organizer for this function," she smiled sweetly, trying her best to seem confident around the billionaire and secretly thankful she was wearing gloves to conceal her sweat palms

"Well then, I must congratulate you," his baritone _crooned_, "You've done a terrific job."

"Why thank you, Mr. Wayne," she giggled; _such a gentlemen!_

"My pleasure Miss Oliver," he said calmly, "Now if you'll excuse me I need to go and mingle." He took her right hand gently and pressed those soft-looking lips of his on top of her satin glove. If she weren't so damn uncomfortable in the dress she might have actually swooned. The playboy winked and made his way into the crowds. Ariel watched him leave, her head spinning and her legs feeling quite weak.

It took her a full moment to realize he had just strolled off without her! Instinct took over and she dodged into the crowds after the stud muffin. She looked for him everywhere, salad bar, sushi bar, drink bar, snob bar, but no matter where she looked she could not find a trace of the man.

Ariel sighed, her gaze traveling across the many faces, trying to give it one last sweep, but no luck.

'_He always seems to take to the shadows when he gets the chance_,' she thought secretly while making her way over to the drink bar; she needed something stiff at the moment.

* * *

Batman landed on the asylum's rooftop, his white eyes surveying the many windows. He quickly found one which served as a quick 'door' and slipped through undetected. He snuck past the security camera - no problem, they always were a little predictable.

"_They've all been in Arkham these past few weeks._"

Gordon's word haunted Bruce; if what he said was true then it meant that Joker had been lying to him all this time, but then where did all those bruises come from? You didn't just wound yourself to get attention.

He tried to ignore the little voice in his head which clearly showed proven facts, witnesses, forensic evidence and about five years experiences that proved Joker would do exactly that without thinking twice.

It's not that I don't trust Gordon; Batman thought silently as he studied the doors, 'It's just…'

"You had to make sure."

Batman flipped around, a Batarang already in his hand, but he replaced his weapons when he recognized who it was. The old Commissioner smiled at him wearily. He looked like death, but he moved from the shadows and gave the Batman a tired stare.

"I'd say I was hurt, but knowing myself I would most probably have done the exact same thing in your shoes," he moved a little closer and paused in front of a steel door. He nodded his head towards it and continued, "Penguin, the one next to him is Riddler and the one opposite is Freeze."

Batman eyed him warily, but moved forwards to the cell, his movements slow and deliberate. Inside he really wanted to see that the Commissioner was telling the truth, but even deeper inside in that little part where no light ever reaches, the untainted instinct wanted to believe that Joker wasn't lying.

He couldn't understand it.

Giving the old man one last stare he leaned forwards and looked through the small pane of glass in the door. His heart sank.

Penguin was snoring happily in his cell, his body relaxed comfortably with no bruises or wounds evident. He moved to the other two and both had the same image. Batman pulled away from Riddler's cell he felt the sudden need to scream or thump anything in the immediate vicinity.

He settled for clenching his fists.

"Joker is a devious creature," Gordon said as kindly as possible, "he does things that no normal human would ever do," The cop's voice had taken on a hard edge, he stepped closer to the batman and went to stand next to his partner "Try to remember that."

Gordon turned around and stalked out of the hallway, leaving Batman to deal with the sea of thoughts which was slowly drowning him.

He could feel the hurt, anger burning his throat. How could he have been so blind, so stupid, so…

_Human._

He sagged. Yes he'd been human, trying to help someone in need and the Joker had taken advantage of such a small fact. A new wave of anger engulfed him and with that Batman stormed away from the cells. He would confront him… or maybe not… his thoughts burned. He slammed the doors shut behind him, the ripple vibrating the cell doors, making Riddler's pane of glass flicker and distorting his sleeping image.

* * *

The Batmobile screeched to a halt and a sleepy Joker perked up slowly from the bed, _Batsy was back_! The clown carefully stood up, the sudden pain in his stomach making it harder and harder to function normally, but Batsy'll make it all better.

"_He always does, doesn't he_," the voice replied sarcastically.

"Shut up, Black Jack!" Joker growled. Well at least he'd given the bastard voice a name.

Batman stormed in and Joker stopped dead in his movements; this didn't look goo-

A gloved hand was suddenly crushing his pasty throat and Joker found himself gagging for air.

"Liar!" Batman growled and shouted at the same time, his accusation echoing throughout the Batcave; Joker tried to say something, but couldn't even so much as a whimper. The Bat was showing teeth at the moment and Joker could feel the burning pain in his stomach reaching an impossible peak.

"…Wha…?" Joker at last choked, but Batman promptly dropped him on the floor. Joker hitched at the sudden pain and promptly threw up. Not even giving him chance to recuperate Batman grabbed the Joker by his shirt and dragged him across the floor.

"What are you doi-" Joker tried, but Batman silenced him with a glare. Fear entered his heart, what was happening? Why was Batman doing this? He was tossed into the car, he knocked his head on the side and another wave of pain shot through his stomach. He really wasn't feeling well. His face glistened with sweat, his breath coming out in gasps.

By the time he opened his eyes they were already charging down the streets of the city.

"Where are you taking me, batsy?" he asked softly.

Batman didn't look at him, "Arkham."

"Are being serious!?" Joker screamed; panic entering his red eyes.

Batman gave him a pointed look.

Joker blinked, "Well that was the dumbest question of the year,"

"_I'll say_!"

"Shut-up!"

The car tore down the streets, screeching as it took a violent turn. Joker held on for dear life as the car skidded across the tar road. The nausea was making it harder to focus.

"Why, batsy?" Joker finally asked in a husky voice and a smile.

Batman paused with this one; he seemed to be fighting some inner battle. "It's where you belong."

Joker swallowed down his vomit, his head was swaying, but a small giggle was starting to bubble to the surface. "Where I belong?" Joker snapped, sweat poured down his pale face, "Is this a joke, batsy?" Joker asked a silly smile playing on the edge of his red lips.

Batman didn't answer.

"Batman?" Joker asked.

Silence.

"Batman! Damn you!" he screeched, he ignored the pain; he ignored the fear and settled for burning anger. "Don't _you_ ignore me!" Joker lunged forward, making a grab for the wheel, Batman simply lifted his right arm and slammed the weakened clown right back down in his seat. Joker hitched for air, the new wave of pain made sure he stayed put, but a bubble of giggles were now turning into hysterical laughter.

"You're… becoming… me now, Batman," Joker heaved between chokes of laughter.

"I am nothing like you" Batman snapped, Joker could see his neck muscles tightening under the mask.

He grinned.

"Then what type of hero throws a friend in need to the wolves?" Joker's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

"You're not a friend, you're a liar," The masked crusader barked.

"_Touché_"

"Whatever makes you sleep at night, Batman" the clown grinned.

The car screeched to a sharp halt and the Knight hopped out, he circled the car, grabbed Joker by his wrists and slapped on the cuffs. The mad clown's laughter echoed across the grounds of Arkham, the pain becoming more and more unbearable, but his laughter would not stop. .

"Face it batman!" Joker screamed above the roar of the rain and the giggles as he was dragged to the doors. "What you're doing is _evil_!"

"I am doing what anyone would be doing in my place," the caped crusader retorted.

Joker grinned, "Exactly,"

Rain poured from the heavens drenching the clown in icy waters, lightning flashed illuminating the hidden fear in the Joker's eyes. Joker was practically dragged to the doors of Arkham; Batman threw them open as thunder tore into the heavens.

He flung the Joker inside, the clown with wrists bound screamed with laughter as he fell on the tiled floors and skidded to a halt in the centre of the hallway; "You'll be joining us in here soon Batman! Your sanity is hanging by a thread if you start doing things like this!" but the Batman was already in his Batmobile and speeding off into the night.

Joker couldn't move, the pains he had ignored earlier were making collect calls and a few of them seemed to be emergencies. The clown huddled close, the fear and sadness keeping him from throwing up again.

Footsteps fell on the tiled floors, they echoed through the building, but fell on deaf ears of the clown until they stopped right behind him.

"Welcome back."

Joker's eyes snapped open and carefully he tilted his head upwards,

The sadist smiled, "Joker."

Terror engulfed him and the clown did the only thing he could think of at that moment; he screamed.

"BATMAN!"

* * *

I hope you guys enjoyed it, like I said thank Crisis Project as well!

And now I order you all to review. Why? I don't know, my muse has left me and that's about as creative as I'm getting today.

Yours insanely

Gollumfryingeggs


	12. Bitter Reunion

Right so here's the next chapter! At last! :D!

It isn't as long as the others, but I think it was a needed... thing... in between type of stuff.... things. Well, whatever, it was a needed watchyacamacallit. Right that behind me I am now officialy thanking Crisis Project for taking this once horrific chapter and turning it into a master peice and for giving people the idea I can actually write :D!

Thanks You Cp!

And to all the lovely (and sometimes clinicly insane) **reviewers** and **readers** out there! I hope you're still enjoying the story and there shall be much needness actions in ze next few chapters of zine storynessnessness!

So thankies muchness and enjoyes!

yours insanely

Golumfryingeggs!

P.S. Your remember all those little P.S's that I did in an earlier chapter? Well, they might be coming true, there is some mature content in this chapter so be **WARNED! **And the rating might be changed, but I'll leave it up to you guys to decide!

**Bitter Reunion**

Cold blue eyes opened in the darkened cell; something was wrong.

Mr. Freeze slowly sat up as hard footsteps clapped against the tiled floors of the building. Someone was coming.

The door flew open and he gazed on four intruders entered his cell and he automatically gave them a once-over. They were almost identical to all the others: tall, middle-aged Caucasians of hefty build weighing around two hundred pounds with cropped hair and identical hard eyes. They were nothing different, yet they eyed him with purpose. Two clutched some sort of weapon in their hands, but all four looked furious.

Four pairs of harsh hands grabbed the long man by his arms and pulled him from his cot; too weak to fight, Mr. Freeze mutely allowed them. He didn't know where he was being taken, but he silently prayed it would end quickly.

"Let me go!" The small man squealed. "I am not your play shit, you pea brained idiots!" Oswald snapped at the two huge sloping backs of the gorilla men as they dragged him along the grimy corridor lit eerily by fading yellow lights cascading from the walls of the deserted hallway.

He'd heard screams earlier tonight in his cell, he wasn't sure whose it was, but it had sounded so very familiar…

He felt his last shred of hope falter.

Riddler was tossed onto the grimy cement floor face first. A singing pain shot through his jaw as he felt a wave of nausea swoop up his oesophagus.

"Greek uncles fuck donkey!" he muttered, trying to stop the bitter bile from escaping his mouth.

"Your vocabulary has broadened," a sarcastic voice muttered close by.

Riddler's gaze shot up. Mr. Freeze was glaring at him from the wall his left eyebrow raised in distaste. He glared at the icy old bastard and, pushing himself up from the cold floor he sneered; "your mood has improved."

"Only because of your astounding presence," Mr. Freeze shot back. The words died down, they both knew what they were doing. They were proving themselves like two male lions competing for domination even in the face of starvation, aiming for the other's throat if it meant dying as the one with more testosterone.

It was the way things were - the way it will always be.

"Will you two hush up?" Penguin snapped from the cot by the wall, his body curled up and his face glistening with sweat, "I have a headache like a Batarang!"

Riddler winced at the squawks - this was turning into a fun day. "So we're all back together again for some group therapy maybe? Shall we do some role play?" he finally managed. "You'll be me and I'll be the one who pulls you into sadistic experiments to watch you scream,"

The Ice Man closed his eyes for a moment, but did not reply to the obvious sarcasm.

"Yes, it would seem so," Victor said, his eyes shifting around the cell. Even in this darkness Riddler could tell that the frozen beanpole was barely standing upright, in obvious pain, but equally obvious in stifling it. "It feels a bit odd for me," Victor finally continued as he carefully sat down on one of the rickety cots. "The last time we were together was when the Joker was still with us."

"So what does this mean," Riddler dry-heaved, trying to hide his pain behind a stoic mask, "I mean-"

The door was thrown open once more; three silhouettes looming in the lit doorway. Before any one of them could so much as twitch, the middle man was shoved through the opening and the iron-clad door was slammed shut.

"Come back!" the shadow on the floor giggled, pushing himself up from the ground, "I haven't finished playing yet!" He flipped around and charged to the door. The clown bunched up his fists and pounded on the tiny metal grill which served as a window.

Left, right, left, right, he pounded his fists, his smile ever-plastered on his bleached-bone white face.

_Bam_

_Bam_

_Bam_

_Bam_

"Open the damn door!" he screamed, his voice breaking on the jarring last note. His fists were dry, cracked and bleeding from the rust on the bars, but he seemed to have been driven past noticing paltry details.

Riddler sat quietly and watched the clown wide-eyed. The grin of the Joker never faltered, his blows to the door never wavered, but as Riddler watched he could feel himself splintering into slivers. All their hope had just been toppled with one foul sweep of fate's hand.

Seconds turned to minutes and finally the minutes ticked by one too many times, but the clown was relentless. He screamed at the bastards, egging them on, heckled them and held on with his assault on the stubbornly solid door.

It wasn't until much later when the shock had finally worn off that someone tried to stop him. Victor slowly stepped forwards; he slipped a limp arm around the Joker's waist and dragged him away.

The derailed Clown Prince of Crime became a mass of jutting limbs and spittle which flew from his jagged teeth just as yellow as his jaundiced eyes, fixed on the parody of a window in the iron door as his hands clawed toward it.

But Victor held on.

He roared things which made no sense, but roar he did. Riddler watched as the clown finally crossed the precipice, his grin disappearing and slowly the fire died. They both collapsed on the floor, Victor holding on to the Joker and the man never even seemed to register the strange embrace.

"He didn't believe you, did he?" Victor asked quietly.

There was a long tiring pause, but eventually Joker did answer;

"No," he cackled mirthlessly. "Anything interesting happen here?"

"Not much," Mr. Freeze conceded. "They've been doubling their experiments on Riddler, eased up on me, and… oh, Penguin's officially certified as insane."

"Oh… pretty birds," Oswald warbled from the bed.

"Oh," Joker sounded disappointed, "no pointless deaths then?"

Victor smiled, slowly releasing his grip on the clown, "not yet, Joker, not yet."

Joker remained silent after that, his eyes seeming to haze and fog shifted over his facial features. But alert fire red eyes turned to the Riddler and a diabolical grin returned to the Joker's visage.

"You owe me fifty bucks."

"What?" Riddler snapped, losing the conversation completely. "Why?"

"We had a bet at the beginning; who would snap first," Joker said simply. "I voted Penguin, you Mr. Freeze…end result: you owe me fifty bucks."

Riddler was astounded, one moment he was banging in door nails, the next he was asking about everyone's health and then a few seconds later he remembers a bet. "You're insane."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," Joker laughed, but his laughter quickly turned into hacking coughs which in turn became heaves and chokes. His body tightened, the skinny clown collapsed onto the floor; holding onto his stomach and coughing up globs of blood and phlegm.

"What's going on?" Penguin asked from inside his twisted sheet in a moment of sanity.

Victor didn't answer immediately, but instead he pushed painfully up from the floor, limped to the iron door and finally called;

"Joker's dying!"

"What do you mean he's dying?" Riddler snapped at the hobbling popsicle, but realization soon dawned. The infection - he'd completely forgotten about it. His keen eyes gazed at the clown quietly, his jaw set angrily, but never did he speak a word.

Joker had been the strongest of them, the only one to have escaped from this hellhole; he had been the only hope they had when the torture sessions had whittled their bodies to pieces. Their strongest had fallen.

And now time waited patiently for them to follow.

He barely registered the door opening, or the hands holding him, yanking him away. He registered Penguin trying to holler something through the window, but nothing seemed important any more.

Except… that they wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.

But for a few moments his eyes did lock with Penguin's and he did realize then that the little man wasn't insane after all. And in Oswald's face he read his own fear returning and hopes dying away.

They were going to die here.

* * *

A sadistic smile tickled the inhumanly pale face that gazed on his latest test subject. The others were waiting, but he loved these specific moments. He loved to watch them squirm, to watch them fight and argue.

He lived for moments like these. They made his heart beat and his throat run dry, they made his stomach flutter, and this was… orgasmic.

The switch was flipped.

But no hysterical caterwauling accompanied it.

He watched in mild interest as the specimen's thorax and appendages convulsed in spasms, but soon he flicked the machine off again.

The shrunken man breathed heavily, eyes rolling underneath their lids, mumbling something, but the gag effectively prevented him from being heard.

Long fingers caressed the sweaty, flabby face and Pendragon smiled as the man shied away from his cold touch. Carefully he removed the gag and patiently he waited, but still the man did not take his generous invitation.

Clinical grey eyes found some sick fascination in the villain's agony. But he seemed to be always waiting for something, every time the switch was flicked and the men screamed he tilted his head and waited, and just at the brink of death, just when their bodies could no longer hold onto life he flicked it back.

No use in killing his one-of-a-kind lab rats.

He would watch them; sweat dripping from their naked bodies, their dehydrated muscles rippling beneath the heavy belts which secured them. And he secretly laughed as they tried to break their bonds, their failing strength buckling even further as their spirits were flayed from them one burning nerve at a time.

The switch was flipped.

The room shot alight with bright electric lights, the once-round man still held his tongue, his eyes stretched wide, three fingered hands grasping at the cool metal beneath his near-crippled body.

PenDragon tilted his head softly to the side, watching.

The eyes had rolled back into the man's skull, the muscles were taught and he relished the pain that the Penguin was enduring.

_No_! He thought angrily, _Not Penguin! It's Specimen #3_. He could and would never name them. Cruelly taunt them, yes, but inside they were only specimens… and that's what he loved about them.

To have such power over the powerful… it was better than rape.

He watched in fascination as the body convulsed, blood spewing from the specimen's mouth, dripping onto the filthy once-white floors of the lab. Muscles contorted as the electrical pulse ripped through the body. PenDragon's eyes hazed over, a pink tongue flicking out and moistening his thin lips.

"Beautiful…" he whispered, his eyes hungrily watching.

_Their spirits were broken._

The blood sprayed once more; the grin widened.

_Their courage slipping from their clutching grasps__…_

The giggle bubbled to the surface as undulating shakes started to ripple through his lean frame.

… _and their only hope was now screaming with them…_

The hysterical laughter finally shattered through the room, tears streamed down from his eyes, but never did his gaze drift from the panicking man on the machine.

_But I will never stop._

And finally the long awaited scream tore through the compound, rattling the very core of the earth; it fell into rhythm next to the screeching laughter, terror and buoyant joy mixed with a sick sensation. It continued until every single being had heard and even felt it until it ended.

PenDragon frowned slightly his joyous laughter dying away into the shadows, the body still convulsing violently on the table, but no sound escaped his specimen. Slowly he moved over to the switch and lazily flipped it back down.

The humming of the machine died as the lights powered down.

* * *

Wow probably one of the most creepiest and depressing chapters I've written up to date. *big eyes* I hope I didn't scare anyone off...

*looks around at an empty hall*

... great.

* * *


	13. An Epiphany

Sorry for the wait! Pease don't hang me up by my toes and force me to sing 'Nick Nack paddywhack until my head explodes from blood… and insanity!

*points to a random object*

It was all his fault!

*The toaster has no comments on this accusation*

Real sorry guys, been a little hectic, but I have good news and bad news. The good news is I've finished the next chapter and will be sending it to Crises Project by tonight or tomorrow! The bad news? I didn't resend this chapter for evaluation, so… um….yeah… lots and lots of mistakes…

I noted the previous chapter was perhaps slightly darker than normal... okay, okay we needed a bonfire, flares, torches and a 100000 volt light bulb to get out of it, but it was duly noted! In future chapter, seeing as it will be taking a much deeper turn, I will have to put some warning in... just to let ya guys know ;).

But mistakes included, I hope ya'll enjoy it! Thanks for reading, thanks for reviewing and thank you very much for waiting!

Yours inanely

Gollumfryingeggs

* * *

**An Epiphany**

The late afternoon sun filtered through the white curtains and into the broodingly masculine bedroom of Bruce Wayne. It lit up the dark setting of the area, turning it into a faultless world of calm and serenity. Batman, as few may have seen him, was sitting stoically in his arm chair nursing a good scotch.

Bruce Wayne had never been a drinker. Every fibre in his system was against the 'pleasures of the flesh', but after the crass and tiring events of yesterday he needed one.

He needed a few.

But he'd settled for just one… or less; half of one.

Not even.

The thick, auburn, double scotch was swivelled around; the near melted ice blocks tinkled softly against the crystal. Bruce glared down at it moodily. He'd had about two sips - two bloody sips and even those had made his nose cringe and his tongue burn.

He hated alcohol.

A soft, almost invisible knock tapped on the heavy mahogany door. It drifted into the room and stirred the vigilante from his stupor.

"Come in, Alfred" he called without even looking up, still glaring at the small melting ice blocks in the tumbler.

He really hated alcohol. And at times like these he hated that he hated it.

The door opened and in walked the pristine and perfectly dressed butler, his suit clean and pressed. He could practically smell, feel… almost sense the cleanliness and perfection on that black suit.

Immaculate… as always.

"Afternoon, sir," the butler said, with his usual composed and calm demeanor, "I thought you'd like a spot of tea before supper." The beautiful intricate tray was set down on the table and Alfred crisply began pouring a cup for his master.

Bruce was only half listening; his eyes were fixated on a small point on the expensive red Persian carpet, his mind completely elsewhere.

"_You're becoming me Batsy_!" The Joker's voice seemed to be following him everywhere, in his dreams - his waking hours - his bathroom… "_Admit it! What you're doing is evil_!"

_Damnit_!

"Sir?"

Bruce awoke from his stupor and quickly glanced at his butler. Alfred was frowning softly and held a steaming cup of tea in his hands. Bruce set his barely touched scotch down and took the cup with both hands. Then, slouching back down; he let out a weary sigh.

He needed to _know_ - to have a sense of certainty that what he did last night, his actions and the way he did them …had been the right thing to do. He needed confirmation that somewhere in this twisted turn of events, in this crazy world he was still doing the right thing, even though the bile in his throat and tension in his diaphragm were telling him differently.

"Do you think I was wrong, Alfred?" his voice was weary, tired and stretched. Basically an echo from the yawning hollow which had taken up the space under his ribs. "You know… with the joker…"

"I couldn't say sir," Alfred started, he folded his hands behind him and seemed to be straightening his already rigid back even further, "but there is an old saying… when in doubt don't… and quite frankly sir, you did."

"What is that suppose to mean?" Bruce snarled. He stood up from the plush couch and slammed his tea cup down onto the wooden mahogany desk. Hot tea sprayed everywhere, but he didn't even seem to notice, or care, for this minor detail. He glared out the window, as the dying sunlight slated across the cityscape.

Alfred, without blinking, took out his cloth and wiped the wooden surface. "It means that when your heart says yes and your mind says no, then don't," he smiled softly as he poured another cup, "then again, when your heart says no and your mind says yes, then the answer is still no."

Bruce frowned, but graciously reaccepted the cup of tea.

"Basically, master Bruce, when the world tries to trick you; don't play into its hands."

"I took away a criminal." The words were forced, angry and thick with a deep emotion that the butler could only identify as doubt. "And how would you know if the Joker was telling the truth?" the crystal blue eyes turned away from the large window to glare at the elder man, "he's a murderer, a manipulative murderer! And he does not deserve the time of day!"

His voice boomed around the room - he was a hair's breadth from raving now.

But Alfred didn't miss a beat, "Perhaps," he stealthily went and stood close beside the handsome man, "but how do you know he was lying?"

_Touché Alfred_.

Now that was true. Bruce didn't answer the old man's question. He had many answers, tons of them, all excuses and proven facts that the Joker would lie right to his face without a blink of a jaundiced eye. But… just because someone lies most of the time… doesn't mean they lie all of the time.

Inwardly he sighed.

"He said I was becoming him," he shook his head, trying to rid his mind of the terror and fear he'd seen passing into the Joker's red, marble eyes before he'd tossed him through the doors, "or rather what I did to him was evil,"

"It wasn't evil," the butler said simply, shrugging his slightly padded shoulders. "But it was a simple mistake. And now, if I may be so bold, you have to be brave enough to swallow your pride and fix that mistake before it does _become_ evil…"

Bruce slowly turned to look at the man, his eyes burning, his throat clenched.

"You are telling me" he growled, "to go and help my enemies; I will never protect them against their own onslaughts."

Alfred's eyes narrowed, his aged gaze turned icy and the temperature in the room dropped by about ten degrees.

"When you took this job," he clipped back, "it was to save lives and help those who asked for it, those villains are no exception!"

"I will not help my enemies!"

"Even God shows mercy!" the white haired man's voice reverberated off the walls, but taking a few shaky breaths he slowly calmed down and with a collected expression he asked in a considerably quieter tone, "why can't you?"

Bruce was shocked into silence by the senior man's outburst. He could count the times on one hand that the butler had screamed or yelled at him. And every time he forgot how much it hurt.

"You are asking me to save…" he lowered his voice, eyes averted from the butler as he continued, "to help… to fight for…" he couldn't find the right word.

"A bad guy!" he finally managed, "they are bad people, evil men who murder without thought! Why should I help them!?"

Alfred paused for a moment, waiting for the man to calm down. The wrinkles around his eyes fanned out gently, his demeanour almost welcoming, but a deep sadness could be seen reflecting in the blue orbs of the elder gentlemen,

"Perhaps, sir," he started softly, "if you stop staring at the word 'bad' and start thinking about the word 'guy' and 'people' you wouldn't be so doubtful." He made to leave, but paused at the door. "And just remember sir: they will always now and forever be yours to protect. To fight for a bad guy… is nothing to be ashamed of."

_Mine_. Bruce thought as the door closed softly. They were his, he had said so himself and if anyone was going to throw villains in Arkham it would always be him.

But somewhere behind those eyes and smiles and evil grins; somewhere behind those split faces of murderers and the hands of a killer, somewhere in there was still a… well the best word would be… human.

He stared at the dying light of the skies, the city turned gold.

_Human_… only a few weeks ago he'd thought of them in this manner, perhaps he hadn't been so far off beat as he'd originally thought.

_Human_…

_Yes they are human_, he thought, _and all humans are protected by the Batman_.

He could feel the city's shadows awakening as the sun died. He knew where the scum would crawl now, and he knew how the back alleys started to awaken and when the devils slithered from their holes. He could smell the sweat and grime on their bodies and he knew what they were doing.

The anger fired back up and a deep angry frown formed once again. They remained villains, evil bastards. He snorted and turning he stormed out of the room and down to the Batcave.

He shouldn't let the old man get under his skin like that. Alfred wasn't the one who dealt with these bastards on a daily basis; he had no idea what he was talking about!

The cave was surprisingly cool and in his topless, pajama-bottom state, it was actually rather chilly for his strictly trained body. He ignored it and made his way over to the heavy machinery.

The Batcave had been cleaned up as best as he could with all the distractions of the past few days. There were still a few broken machines, but they could wait for the moment. Joker hadn't held back in the least.

_Bastard,_ he thought angrily.

The monitors flashed and flickered, but nothing seemed to be new. The Batwave droned quietly to itself about nothing. No new criminal activity, hell not even the bat signal to decorate a bright golden sky.

Bruce sagged down into his chair. The anger seeped from his body, almost pooling to his feet and then slipped into the deep shadows of the cave. The sudden terrifying loneliness engulfed him from all directions, this time drowning out the anger. He couldn't deny this, this feeling. He couldn't deny it for as long as he had.

He _missed_ them!

"Fuck!" he grabbed a random object from the table and tossed it across the room. It hit the wall with a loud _thud_, but didn't break. He'd designed it too well. Bruce closed his eyes, but tried to calm down as best he could.

He wanted to scream, he wanted to find them, poke them in the chest and tell them to get a move on and destroy something already!

They were in Arkham! He _knew_ this!

_Then why am I feeling lonely_?

Batman banged his head down onto the table.

He was at wits end.

A soft beeping tickled his ears. He frowned and lifting his head he looked at the monitors, but they were still silently mocking him with their inactivity. He glared at them, but with his curiosity piqued, he turned around and stared around the Batcave. He spied the object he'd thrown.

It was beeping.

He sighed and standing up he walked over, plucked it up from the stone floor and glared at the small black box.

He recognized it immediately as one of his homing devices.

It had been activated.

Bruce frowned; the only way to activate this was to activate the bugs first. He hadn't used one of them in months.

Opening the device he tried to see where it was transmitting from. The screen was cracked, but the location was as obvious as daylight.

Arkham Asylum.

"Joker…" a memory filtered in his head, Joker had torn around his batcave, and a bug had probably gotten stuck on him. Or the Joker could've stolen it.

Either way.

The soft beeping seemed like crackling thunder in the starkly silent cavern. It beeped at even increments, with such crass contrast to the erratic thumping of the Batman's heart. All the forces in the world had joined in to force this man to chase after that clown.

He wanted to ask 'why', but he knew that no answer would be given.

Until he did what the primal urge told him to do.

He flipped around and stormed away, device grasped tightly in his right hand he headed straight for the only thing that brought him silent comfort and perfect freedom.

The Batsuit was donned.

The strong quality armour fitted to his frame perfectly. The gloves slipped on easily and finally he slid the mask over his face, to keep his secret safe.

He would check up on them.

"Just routine…" he assured himself as he hopped into the car. He slipped the cracked device safely and securely on top of the dashboard where it locked.

"I owe them that much."

The sleek car sped away out of the cave and into the cold streets of Gotham, just as the golden rim of the sun slipped behind the horizon and the night life of the city awakened to its full potential.

Alfred stood in the Batcave and watched with a small smile as his master sped away. But the smile soon disappeared as he stared down at the heavy silver tray in his hands.

"Well," he thought out loud, "that's another dinner ruined."

* * *

Right I thank all the wonderful reviewers, apologise for my absences, hope you enjoy the new instalment and wish that … SOMEONE WILL PLEASE HIT ME OVER THE HEAD SO I CAN STOP SOUNDING LIKEA 95 YEAR OLD PENCIL FACTORY SECRETARY!!!!!!!

Thank you

**(_and once again thank you to the wonderful Crisis Project who helps me so very much with all my work! Thankies muchness CP!)_**

Yours insanely

Gollumfryingeggs


	14. Darkest

Thank you Readers for reading!

Thank you Reviewers for reviewing!

Thank you Crisis Project for revising!

And Thank you Joker's daughter for hitting me over the head :D!

Hope You all enjoy :D!

yours insanely

Gollumfryingeggs

* * *

**Darkest...**

Mr. Freeze watched in a serene moment as thick clouds slipped over the pregnant moon. He shifted stiffly on the scratchy, thin mattress. His muscles ached, but his quiet gaze stayed focus on the endless stars. The screams of the nights had lessened, then died and in this moment of stillness and tranquility he felt… content.

In olden days long before he'd ever started a life of crime, when he had lived with his parents, he could still remember his love for the skies. When people's smiles turned to snarls and their caresses became whiplashes, he would turn to the heavens and seek comfort.

In starlit skies he could escape to far away planets and worlds where these fiends could not venture.

He mutely tried to return to those wonders-

Riddler's sudden cough was followed by streaks of rancid vomit. The old ice man turned to watch in silence. He could not comfort them anymore; he did not even have the strength to stand. His body begged him to leave this place… his body might not be able to… but his thoughts could.

He shut his eyes and tried to picture home. Yes, the mental fissures may we widening, but there was only so much one man could take. So long as he could stay strong…

He tried to leave, through sheer mental will.

"Victor…" said a voice, "are you awake?"

"Mmm," he muttered.

"Wha'cha doing?" rasped Riddler and breaking Mr. Freeze's train of thought.

"Going home," he said, without opening his eyes.

Riddler frowned. Victor could not see this, but he could feel the slight confusion in the air.

"Inch by inch… I presume," Nygma laughed, but a sudden coughing fit stopped him dead.

Victor waited for the rasping coughs to cease before answering. He opened his eyes and stared at the Riddler opposite him sprawled onto his own thin little mattress. Even in the shallow moonlight he could still see the sweat glistening on the pale, thin face.

"No…" he whispered. "Star by star."

There was a long pause. The clouds opened and spilled soft moonlight into the cramped, chilly cell.

So close…

"Don't…" Riddler whispered, turning to face him. "You'll never… get back…"

This surprised him, Riddler wasn't well known for his 'open kindness.' He was more the type to kick a man when he's down. Twice.

"I don't want to," he replied with all honesty. His gaze drifted back to the constellations - he was so very close to leaving here. The smell of fresh grass and rain, the feel of security… so very close…

"Who… will I… torment?" Riddler wheezed softly, his voice edged with what might be uncertainty. To conclude it as a whine or begging would be far overreaching himself. They had not reached the point of breaking, not yet.

He turned to level his unwavering gaze at the raven-haired man.

"Joker or Penguin?" Victor ventured, raising a tired eyebrow.

He said nothing for a long time, the seconds ticked on and the moon sunk further.

"I don't… think they'll come…back." He swallowed, the dryness of his mouth apparent. The cold bluntness of his words hit him like a kick in the gut. But they were said, laid open to the harsh embrace of reality.

They weren't coming back.

Victor could just make out the clenched fists of the Riddler. Tight as fixed clamps, he doubted Bane with a crowbar could open them.

There was another significant pause.

"Stay," the words were strained, soft in the darkness. "I don't… want to die… alone…"

Victor looked at him again. Riddler's eyes were closed, but he was clearly shaking. Whether from pain, fear, exhaustion or cold, he wasn't sure, but when someone asks you such a favor, you do not turn your back on them.

Stiffly he turned his body to look at the Riddler full on. "You won't," he said, the smallest hint of a smile in his voice. "I promise."

Later when Edward's wheezing breath had become deeper and the screams had gone dead, Mr. Freeze found himself staring at the small sickly frame of the Riddler, and forgot about the safe worlds in far away places… and held onto sanity.

* * *

Light melted away into darkness, drenching the wicked city in black shapes and deep shadows. A thick mist rolled over the city, throwing a thick grave blanket over the buildings and hiding the predators from sight. Screams slit through the streets, in silent alleyways, where no one could see and small corners where gutter slime collected. They hid away and patiently waited for their prey.

The criminals of Gotham had awoken.

Batman leaned back into the plush leather seats of the Batmobile. The monitors flickered endlessly, beeping away and keeping him informed. The streets lay before him; he ate them up with demonic speed.

If something was happening with the villains, then he needed to get there fast. Then again, Joker might as well be pulling his armoured leg again.

He slammed down on the gas.

Too late for doubts now. The asylum loomed before him like a glaring beast, its teeth always sharpened and claws always extracted. It waited for prey it knew would come. Batman slowed as he neared the gates and slamming onto the brakes as he brought the car to a screeching halt.

He grabbed the tracker and leaping from the car he quickly trotted to the heavy iron gates and slipped inside.

The mist shrouded him thickly, and he easily made his way to the front doors without a problem. He checked the beeper and frowned.

He'd over shot Joker's location a good few feet.

He flipped around, Batarang at the ready, but the night was as silent and empty as when he'd arrived. Cautiously he took a few steps forwards, the consistent beeping of the tracker clapping in the quiet darkness.

"The deeper you go, the more you know."

Batman flipped around, his eyes scanning the congealing mists. A lone slim frame was leaning against a far off wall. Puffs of white sifted upwards from his head; he was smoking.

"Who are you?" he snapped, white eyes narrowing at the silhouette.

The figure shrugged, "a rose by any other name…" The voice was much higher pitched than he would've thought for a man. "What is important is finding them, and they are down below."

Whoever said it was a man? The inner voice, which has saved him on countless occasions, cautioned him. "How do I find them?" he finally asked.

The figure tilted it's head, as if considering something. Then, almost cat-like, pushed itself away from the wall and strolled into the mist, erasing itself the further it walked.

Batman hesitated.

But only for a moment.

He cautiously followed the figure holding the cherry-lit cigarette deeper into the thick, soupy blanket, keeping his eyes open for any unwanted ambushes or wicked bolts from the blues. The tracker was slowing in its beeping and he decided to gently turn it off for the time being.

Didn't need to give away his position.

He reunited with the figure at an open manhole. His face, hidden by a scarf was tilted, his eyes shadowed by a cowboy hat as he gazed up at the stars.

"Down there?" Batman asked.

The figure nodded, almost absently.

His eyes narrowed, the little voice in his head was going haywire. It could very well be a trap. He could always go and search for Joker himself, but that might waste too much time. If the villains were being tortured, then he did not have such a luxury.

"Why are you helping me?" he growled, his strained patient wearing quite thin.

"Advice is least headed-" he muttered, inspecting his gritty nails now.

Batman's fingers twitched, they were itching to tighten around the throat and strangle the answers out of the idiot. But if he or she was helping then he couldn't exactly kill him-

"-when most needed," he continued in a sing-song voice.

-_yet. _The bloody thing spoke in proverbs. It was, surprisingly, very annoying!

"Who are _you_ then?" the figure asked, "seeing as you're so eager to know all about _me_…"

Batman narrowed his eyes even further, intensifying an already potent glare to maximum velocity. "I'm the Batman," he growled viciously.

"Well," the figure said after a short pause. "When you dress like a king, you don't yap like a dog."

Batman frowned, but said nothing further. He did not need this! Not right now.

The figure took a long drag from his cigarette and once again stared at the stars. "Look before you leap…" he finally said. "It's always darkest before the dawn."

He snuffed his cigarette on the asphalt, nodded at the Batman and with a jolly whistling tune set off through the mists.

Batman watched him leave, hesitant to follow this time. The mist was clearing; he looked up for a second to watch the pregnant moon show her face in the night sky. He couldn't help but wonder if anyone else found it beautiful.

He shook his head and opening the tracker he slipped into the man hole, just as the moon disappeared behind the clouds once more.

"And so it begins…" the figure smiled and lit another smoke.

Batman landed in what seemed to be a corridor. The walls were pitch black and reflected a dampness cast by the poor yellow lights hanging from the ceiling. The floors were tiled and might have been white once. The corridor stretched forwards, behind him was a dead end. Batman frowned as he gazed at the long stretch of hallway.

He looked up.

He'd leapt through a manhole, that was obvious, but then why was he standing in a long corridor that did not remotely resemble a sewer?

He sighed, there was no time for these riddles and confusion now.

Batman checked the tracker, and taking a deep breath quickly trotted down the dark corridor as silently as he could. He found a right turn and checking the tracker he smartly continued in the same direction.

It was a maze, filled with hallways and dark rooms; he found some windows, which led to the sea, but other than those few, this place was meant to keep the light out… and the dark in.

The tracker led him further and further into the belly of the building, he kept his eyes peeled and his ears open, always on the alert. He ran and ran until finally, the tracker led him to another long, but much darker corridor.

Batman glared. This hallway felt… wrong, almost… evil, if he dare say so. It looked like any other hallway, except for the many doors, but other than that, it felt darker. It felt deeper, heavier, almost ominous. Logically he knew this was silly, it was simply the human mind's imagination coming into play.

But sometimes the imagination can lie truthfully.

He checked the tracker, looked at the hallway and taking another deep breath, stepped forwards.

The doors were heavy. That was about all that could be said for them, that and they each had a small pane, which served as an opening.

He paused.

The dim light cast long shadows and a subtle hint of burnt flesh hung in the air. The doors were dusty, but something was egging him on to open them. They were large, heavy, like normal steel doors, but they felt different, something evil was behind them.

He shook his head.

That kind of thinking would get him thrown into Arkham.

_Arkham_!

They looked like Arkham Asylum cell doors! Older, heavier, and much more filthy, but definitely the same type of door.

He sighed softly and continued down the row of numbers. If these were Arkham doors, then that meant this was probably an extension of the Asylum. But this area hadn't been used for a long time. That was obvious.

Each door was numbered; it started at 201 in this area. The tracker's beat quickened slightly, echoing with the pounding heart of the batman. He could only imagine what these doors were hiding.

210

_Beep-beep… Beep-beep_.

211

_Beep-beep,beep-beep, beep-beep_.

212

Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep.

213

_Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep_!

Batman stopped and carefully switched off the tracker. The deafening silence was broken by a soft whisper. Eerie and hair-raising, it bounced off the metal doors. He checked the door.

Locked.

Wordlessly he pulled out a small gadget, slipped it into the ancient keyhole and waited. The whispers were accompanied by a small 'whirr' which emitted from the small device.

A few seconds later it stopped and a small 'click' smacked into the silence. Batman replaced his electronic skeleton key in his belt and gently opened the door.

The first thing that hit him was the smell: a sickening mix of sweat, vomit, blood and burnt flesh. Then came the darkness, black as death; he could barely make out anything in the deep shadows. Then the whispering… far more urgent than before, it was desperately strained mutters now.

Batman narrowed his eyes and focused into the inky blackness, vaguely he could distinguish a man with long hair. His back to him, he was holding something in his arms and rocking back and forth.

He was muttering.

Even in shadows as deep as the earth, Batman could feel the sorrow dripping from the room. Something was very wrong.

"Joker?" he ventured.

The man did not answer.

Carefully he made his way inwards, stepping lightly and carefully. He came to the front of the weeping man, but still no response was imminent. Gently he knelt before him; the hair covered his features, so he could not recognize him, but…

"He…" the man wheezed.

The object in his arms he did recognize.

"… promised…" the clouds shifted away from the moon.

Batman froze as the moonlight hit the figure in the man's arms; cool blue eyes, vacant of life stared at the ceiling; the pale body wilted in the bony hands of his possessor. The suit was loose around the long and starved frame. He looked up and gazed at a mop of greasy black hair, sallow cheek bones and teary, bloodshot eyes.

"Riddler…" he whispered hoarsely.

Edward wept, holding the limp frame of Mr. Freeze close to his chest, oblivious to the small bug Joker had attached to his suit.

* * *

Right, now that I've put on my battle armour, bullet proof vest and general force field protection I should be safe from all you reviewers and flames.

*atomic bomb explodes, with burning eyes and evil little devil horns*

Or.... maybe not... *gulp* O_o

Well there it is, much, much earlier than before! Yayay! I'll see how the next chapter goes and if I;ll be able to get it up, perhaps even earlier... but that of course all depends on how quickly my muse drives me and if my beta reader isn't too busy ;)

Hope you enjoy...

And don't kill me.

yours insanelyty

Gollumfryingeggs

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	15. Before the Dawn

A happy new year! A merry Christmas! And I hope you all got a long vacation with lots of sun (or snow)!

It has been a long time since I updated, but wow was this one a doozy! I had a HUGE writers block! And so I went and bought a sledge hammer MUHAHAHAHA! Um… yeah… point being I broke/destroyed/malmed/annialated the block and I'm back in business boys!

I honestly hope you guys find this chapter good enough, I'm slightly nervouse… already chewed off a few fingers… hence all the taipos.

Well that's it from me! Enjoy the chapter and do not rip/tear/eat off my head if you decide it sucked, please… I kinda just had a haircut and I'd like to enjoy I for a few days at least.

After that? Yeah sure come and have a bite!

Yours insanely

Gollumfryingeggs

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Before the Dawn

PenDragon smiled softly. This was beautiful, simply _glorious_, a magnificent breakthrough in modern psychology. He tilted his head to the left, cool grey eyes examining his greatest achievement.

"Perfect…" he whispered, reaching forwards to the strange helmet on the table. The room was dark, but soft whispering broke the thick silence. He didn't mind the insanity of his patients; he_ relished _it. It meant he was getting somewhere.

But _this - _he'd never thought it _possible_.

He traced the cool metal with yellowed finger tips. To speak to people, control them through his mind…

He smiled.

_Simply glorious_-

Bang_._

"I am busy!" he growled, wrinkling his nose in distaste. Blasted thick-headed orderlies, they had no right, nay no privilege to enter his-

_Bang. Bang._

This time he turned to look. He'd locked the formidable steel doors, so the chances were pretty slim that someone could actually penetrate-

_BANG._

The double doors burst open, slammed against the walls and rebounded, but the intruder was already stalking forwards. The inky shadows wrapped the intruder's body and features in obscurity.

PenDragon glared as the cretin stomped closer and closer.

"This had better be important!" he screeched, the echoes of his cry dying away into the corners of the shadowed room, much like how his bravado and anger skittered from his mind. The black figure stepped into the light. It slipped closer. The cape billowed softly in the wraith's wake, the fists were taught, but the eyes…

They _burned_.

PenDragon, reacting on instinct, grabbed one of the cattle prods they'd started to use recently, but no sooner had he gripped it in one hand when a flash of black and blue steel sliced his wrist.

He hissed and quickly dropped the blasted thing.

"Blast!" he'd barely finished the curse when the black demon leapt forwards, grasping him around his pasty throat and started choking the life from his scrawny figure. He was hoisted into the air by his neck, mouth wide open and choking, and his pulse throbbing futilely against time…

_The damned Batman_!

"What… do… you wa-want?!" He closed his eyes, desperately trying to get oxygen to his brain, but the burning stare and the tightening grip sapped his hope quickly. This man was _angry_.

The vicious grip loosened and the doctor dropped onto cold, blood-stained tiles. For a brief, startling moment PenDragon could swear the crusader would spit at him, but the Batman settled for sneering. As if he'd seen more likable things at the bottom of his shoes. Taking the hint the doctor scrambled away from the manifestation of anger and terror, his hands shaking and his lungs shuddering wildly for air.

"…gods," he rasped when the blinking spots disappeared from his hazy sight. _Amazing strength_, he thought mildly.

He turned to watch as the Batman inhaled deeply, his wide chest jutting out like a dragon about to fry knights into a pool of melting metal. Oh good gods, he was in trouble.

"I. Want. To know…" the man growled, baring his teeth, "…_why_?" His voice faintly trembled, like his fists.

PenDragon frowned at the… _distraught_… man, watching while fascinated as the powerful crusader desperately held on to his self control. How long it would last was something only time could tell, but he still had to answer:

"Why what?"

Wrong answer.

Batman brought his fist down on him. It drove into his ribs, and sickening crackles reached his ears after he felt them. His scream was more terrorized than pained; he tried to scramble backward, but the next blow shut him up almost completely.

The blow crammed his jaw into his teeth and PenDragon hit the floor, his skull bouncing off the tiles. His head swam horribly, black spots spun in front of his eyes and bile attempted to claw up to bitterly tinge his tongue. He stayed still; if he didn't move, talk or breathe then he couldn't provoke the man.

Two strong hands grabbed him by his shoulders and he was hoisted to his feet again. He winced as another piercing javelin shot through his skull.

He shut his eyes, waiting for the spinning and sharp pain to stop.

"Why would you do this?!" the Batman screamed in his face, tightening his grip tenfold. "Torture them, hurt them, and abuse them like _lab rats_!"

The doctor stared right into those burning orbs and then whispered softly, "you think lab rats should be treated like this as well?" He chuckled painfully, "they're creatures too, Batman…"

With a flick of his wrist, the doctor was snapped into the wall.

He smacked in to the floor with such force the wind was knocked out of him. Another sharp pain shot through his ribcage and he gritted his teeth to prevent himself from crying out. Gods his head hurt, and pain spasmed every time he took breath. He mildly wondered if he had a concussion, how many ribs were broken or fractured.

The Batman advanced and he quickly crawled backwards on his hands and knees, trying to get away from the mad man.

"Sometimes," he coughed through spittle of blood, "to break them is - is the only way to c-cure them." He smiled a sickly, "but, you wouldn't understand the subtle science of psychology-"

The sudden quiet, the sudden stillness from the crusader stopped him mid-sentence. The ice cold bitterness spilled from the muscled form and seeped into the very bones of the doctor. It choked him into silence.

"_You bastard_," it was whispered, ushered - but so much emotion, so much anger and fire weighed it down so that it became a growl which shuddered through the floors and into the earth. "You broke them, you humiliated and tortured them for your _own damn amusement_!" His fists tightened, "This is no cure! Torture is a method used by tyrants to crack open a mind with force! How do you expect them to recover from this?!" his voice was turning into something deeper than a growl, it quivered right through his soul and tore at his heart.

_Gods what was happening_?

His eyes shut tight as the cold harsh memories flowed through his head of their own accord, on wings that could not be clipped nor caught.

_"You're sure of this PenDragon?" The chief of the asylum raised a thin greasy eyebrow at him, but Arthur was sure of everything._

_"Yes," he said confidently, "it may take a while, mind you, but I'm sure__ that__ with some patience and a little perseverance we can cure them completely."_

PenDragon blinked fuzzily, it felt so long ago, so very, very long ago...

_"What progress do you have?"_

_PenDragon swallowed tightly, "We - we seem to have hit a... difficulty, but we should pass this in due course-"_

_"The therapy session aren't working PenDragon!" The chief snapped, slamming a pudgy hand onto the redwood table, "your theory and 'machine' does not seem to have any __e__ffect whatsoever!" He glared at him with small, piggy eyes, "if this continues I will shut down your operation and you can kiss your credentials good bye!"_

_"I need to move them!" he cried out urgently, "if I can seclude them and personally take over all therapy sessions, with no interruptions I can make it work!"_

The desperation - the fear of failure, the frustration of hitting wall after wall. PenDragon gritted his teeth. He'd meant well, he remembered vaguely, so very vaguely he remembers this...

"I meant to help... them."

"What?" Batman exclaimed, his fury dissipated for a fraction of a moment.

"I was d-doing what I believed was right!" he gasped, his voice no more than a terrified, choking hiss. "I th-thought you, of all people, would be please-e-ed-d…!"

The Dark Knight crunched his boot down into his burning ribs and the doctor whimpered brokenly.

"I was... I am_ curing_ them…!" the pressure was increased and he heard someone scream horribly.

_Fuck, _I'm _screaming_!

"Look at him!" he wailed, stabbing his finger at the nearby table. "Look at how ha-_happy_ he is!"

The Batman frowned and slowly turned his head to look. The burning became muted, the foot slackened and the burning eyes widened. He stared at the figure sitting quietly at the table; the Batarang must have rebounded onto the surface. The little man was happily playing with the thing - dragging it this way, drawing circles and giggling… so very much… like a child.

"Penguin…" Batman whispered. A small, kind smile was playing on Oswald's parched lips; he was humming, as if no one could hurt him, as if nothing had happened… as if he didn't know.

Batman stepped closer to the quiet man - he reached forwards and gently, so very gently, touched his thin, bony shoulder and shook him. "Penguin?" he tried softly again.

Oswald didn't even blink.

The Dark Knight spun around to loom over the doctor, the fire burning far brighter than before. "_What have you done to him?!_"

"He's cured," PenDragon wheezed.

"You've turned him into a vegetable!" Batman growled.

"No!" he pleaded, "I've simply suppressed his problem!" He shifted, but another wave of pain halted him in his tracks. "Grandiose Paranoia, he's the first to succumb-"

"And the torture sessions?!" Batman snapped, "that was part of your damned _cure_?!"

_"It's not workin' sir" the orderly frowned at the screaming Riddler. "Maybe we should go back to therapy an' all tha'?"_

_"Never go back to a method that doesn't work," he snapped at the thick orderly, "they will break soon enough."_

"Yes," the doctor said simply, pushing himself up from the floor. He swayed horribly on his feet, but stand he did. "We needed to break them down completely before we could-" he coughed hoarsely, "-apply the cure…"

Batman stared at him for a moment as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing: but his eyes rekindled when the bitter words finally started to sink in.

"That," he whispered fiercely, "is a forced cure!"

The doctor frowned at these words, then gaped at the Batman as if he were the strangest creature he'd ever laid eyes on. "And what else is psychiatry other than 'forced cures?'" he wheezed. "We give medication that suppresses the effects and symptoms of a psychological problem. If we had cures then the patients would not need to continue with the medication for the rest of their lives!"

Batman stared.

"Lobotomy, sedation and all these medical 'cures' and 'breakthroughs' are simply means to suppress the problem…." He coughed wildly, blood splattered on the floor. His voice strained and tired once he continued. "We have no cures… only means to push back the bad and bring out the good…"

Batman advanced and the doctor took a shaky step back.

"I was doing…" he implored, "…my job."

The silence that followed was only hindered by the soft lullaby Penguin was crooning to himself. Batman's gaze had softened by a fraction, but the hate and anger still burned with such passion that it could hardly be seen.

PenDragon watched in fear and terror as the Crusader slowly circled him. He wanted to think 'like a leopard', but his mind kept saying 'vulture'.

Leopards don't circle dead men.

"Fix them," he suddenly growled behind him.

"W-what?" he asked, twisting around painfully. He wasn't sure he'd heard right.

"You broke them." Batman had his back to the doctor, but his voice was clear. "Now you will fix them."

"I can't-"

"You spoke of a 'cure'" Batman slowly turned around to look at the doctor, his eyes had simmered into an icy cold stare, strangely this was far more terrifying than the burning fires. "You told me countless times that you had some sort of.... cure! So what the hell is it then?"

PenDragon shut his eyes, allowing the scorching words to wash over and burn him. He could hear the steadying of Batman's breath, the soft footsteps as the crusader moved across the blooded pale floors.

"How are you going to fix…" Batman growled bitterly, "... what you've broken?"

Slowly he opened his eyes to meet the dark gaze of the Batman. His eyes mirrored the fear and pure terror he felt, but he slowly and almost carefully pointed behind the crusader with a bloody finger.

"I t-tried," he stuttered, "But they-they wouldn't take to it," Batman glared at the doctor, but then slowly turned and looked to where the man wapointing. The metal helmet positively gleamed in the meek light of the room. It glinted and reflected all in its polished blue surface. "Their minds were too strong," he stuttered wiping the blood from his thin lips.

Batman walked closer to the device.

"Once they were-were weak enough…" he coughed, "I c-could use this to place a positive... stream of-of memory and feeling into them…" he shuddered violently, the pain in his side and head throbbing through him in waves of agony, "But-but they wo-wouldn't break!" he cried, his voice cracking close the hysterics.

"Did the possibility of them never recovering," Batman whispered, his back still to the doctor, his hand gliding over the gleaming surface of the helmet, "Ever. Occur. To. You?"

PenDragon shut his eyes and shook his head violently, "It can't fail! It will-"

He never finished.

A searing pain shot through his back and into his heart. It twisted his mind and buckled his knees. He collapsed on the floor, and staring up he watched tiredly as the crusader rushed to the falling Penguin's side.

_And so it ends_, he thought mildly. _Killed, by my own lab rat_.

Perhaps he'd been a monster. Oh yes, he was a sadistic bastard - he'd hurt them, watched them scream and enjoyed every single moment of it. He'd been the little boy that hurt birds and looked up the dresses of many dolls. He was twisted and sick, but that's just how it was. Some things just can't be changed… nor helped.

The blood seeped into the tile shards. It didn't look much different than before, but strangely enough, it felt vastly different. Although, that could just be the pointy Batarang talking.

The darkness seeped in from the corners of his eyes, the pain and the sudden calmness engulfing the young doctor. But as he lay dying he couldn't help but remember and reminisce of all the things he'd done and how he had affected those around him.

_I, Doctor PenDragon have tortured the monsters of Gotham. I've watched them break and shatter and I've enjoyed every minute of it. I was interrupted; they took my experiments away and I can only pray that someone someday will continue with my work. It was glorious to watch, but I honestly had no other reason, than to cure them…_

….

…_and maybe to hurt them_.

He smiled faintly.

_Just a little_.

* * *

Hope ya guys liked it! If you didn't… just remember the head biting off rule I layed out in the beginning of this chapter.

Yours insanely

Gollumfryingeggs

**A thanks to my amazing Beta Reader Crises Project who, even though my writing is atrocious, still puts herself through the torure of reading each and every chapter to bring out an amazing work of art!**

**Thanks CP!**


	16. Coins

Woohoo!

Next chapter up and running! Thank you Crises Project! Thank you readers! Thank you Reviewers and thank you dog Gamble, thank you dog Cheat and thank you fanfiction, fanart, fanvid and just generally fans!

Enjoy!

P.S. Thank you Cartoonatic55 for working so hard to give me the 200 meter mark! You da best!

**

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**Coins**

Batman breathed a sigh of relief.

It was over.

That was all he could think as he watched the limp form of PenDragon, bleeding and motionless on the floor. He'd already sent a message to Gordon, the location and situation for the Commissioner to do as he pleased. They would be here soon enough and then finally this madness could end. Penguin, in turn, was quietly staring at the glinting helmet on the table, staring at it with such curiosity and intensity that Batman could not help but stare as well. He found it hard to believe that all this insanity, this never-ending nightmare had started because of that small piece of equipment. The vigilante gazed at it a moment longer before making his way over to the table himself. The helmet positively shimmered in its filthy surrounding, it was almost surreal- as if it really didn't fit in with its environment, as if some advanced race had forgotten it amongst this horror and gore. A million questions blurred through his tired mind, most of them he could not possibly answer at the moment, but one shimmered to the front in a blazing white glare... could it possibly cure any villain?

He sighed for a second time in the span of a few moments.

Whether it could or could not it had already damaged four, he wasn't about to try it on another one.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath- and as the world quieted and life seemed to return to the hum from before, he tried to bring his mind to rest.

Too much chaos.

The dead quiet of the lab seeped into his mind and heart, drenching him in a split moment of serenity and peace. He knew it wouldn't last... it never did. The madness in the room itself had left its mark, this calm and serene moment would be shattered in but a fragment of a second, taking with it the glimmer of hope which had dangled in front of the crusader like a carrot on a stick. Driving him forwards, pulling him closer and closer to what he believed would be the end of the insanity of his city and world.

It never was.

If anything, it only lead to bigger problems and less carrots.

Opening his eyes he let out a soft breath, allowing the last of his tension to slip away. He then turned away from the table and his piercing, but tired white gaze found the Penguin sitting quietly on the floor. The three fingered hands were drenched in the blood of the doctor, marking the now-scrawny man as cold blooded killer. Or was it a self-protecting victim? Whatever it was, the damage was done. Penguin was by all accounts a vegetable... or perhaps he wasn't? Perhaps PenDragon had done less damage than he believed. The man had scraped up enough will to kill the doctor, maybe he wasn't as far gone as Batman believed. Or maybe that was just wishfull thinking. Oswald looked like death, he was muttering to himself and flinching away from things only he could see.

For now he would have to wait, perhaps the doctor's could help him overcome his 'cure',

And that was yet another illusion, in the last few weeks he'd begun to realize that psychology was an elaborate magic show, using one chemical after another to prevent people from realizing that these doctors could not cure their patients. Batman shook his head, that was not exactly true, these doctors knew what they were doing... his gaze found the machine. Well, most of them at least. But whether Oswald would be 'cured' from this 'cure' remained to be seen.

The crusader was gently pulled from his thoughts by a soft noise just beyond another door. White eyes looked up and ears pricked, he wondered if he'd even heard anything -

"B-batsy..y...?" someone called hoarsely.

Joker!

Batman leapt, ignoring the yelp from Oswald and charging straight for the door. He threw it open and -

-froze.

Years of training, years of conditioning his mind to remain focused and unshaken had brought him to this moment. And now as he stood and his mind tried to register what he was seeing the bile rose in his throat and shock drenched his muscles in ice.

The stark naked body of the Joker was tied firmly down on a heavy metal table. His chalk-white skin was thinly stretched over each bone, the hollows etched sharply with deep shadows. Mottled splashes of deep purple blossomed under his skin; he was bleeding inside and out, his hands and feet turning a soft blue from lack of circulation to his fingers and toes. The gadgets, the table and even metal slab on which he lay was drenched in blood, old and new. The place reeked of urine, blood, rust and a hint of fear.

"He-hey..." Joker gagged before wracking with a coughing fit, drenching the table and his pale chest in new blood and what Batman assumed to be yellow mucus. He shook his head, gently forced his mind to focus, his emotions to become apart, unfeeling and cold. And then, only then did he move towards the Joker. He could not become emotionally attached, it was a curse he'd placed on himself the moment he'd donned the Batman suit. But gods, the curse was never made easier, forcing away the need to break down and scream at anything he could - to take the world in his hands and rip it into tiny pieces and rebuild it into something good and honorable. But someone will come and taint that perfect world, and one taint will spread and eat up all the others: then it starts all over again.

Almost unbelieving he went to the table and quietly unstrapped the rusted steel cuffs buckled around his wrists and ankles. Joker stretched his dry and cracked lips in a wincing smile.

"...feelsh... good..." he wheezed, flexing his fingers carefully.

"Where is it the worst?" Batman managed softly, reaching forward and placing a gloved hand on a purple bruise on his side. Joker flinched weakly.

"... s-si...sick," he wrenched out in a hoarse voice.

"Sick?" he asked, his eyes sharp once more, his mind suddenly bright and focused.

"Antidote..." he said wearily staring at the small table next to him. "...Too... late," with every word Batman could hear the strength and life drip out of him, but he was not going to give up. He never did.

He flipped around; a small green bottle stood lonely on the metal table not two feet from Joker's head.

He picked it up - it was a no-name brand, and hesitated. The small bottle was held against the dim light and the vigilante watched the liquid swirl in the small bottle. His cool gaze shifted over to the Joker, his eyes narrowing by a fraction. This could very well be a silent death, Joker could have been lied to*! He needed tests, he needed equipment and his lab, but mostly he needed –

Joker coughed viciously, blood splattering in all directions...

- _time._

He didn't have the luxury to rush back and check this 'medicine', the Joker was slipping away with each painful cough and wheezy breath.

"Whatcha... waiting for bats?" the clown wheezed softly, "an... invitation?"

He'd have to take this risk.

He scanned the wreckage and spotted a small cabinet on the far side. Wasting no time he wrenched it open and rummaged around until he struck gold. It was an old syringe, sealed in a yellowing plastic bag. He wrenched the bag open; fortunately the needle, though in an old bag, was new and had been sealed very well. The danger for infection was very small.

It was all he had. He hastily made his way back to Joker and plunging the needle into the small bottle and extracted the pale white liquid.

"He let... me-" another bloody cough, "-watch..."

Batman looked up for a moment, his eyes turning from concentration to soft confusion. Holding the filled up injection in his hand he quickly took out an antiseptic bottle from his belt, in a small medical emergency kit he always had close by. He dabbed a little on the thick, ghastly purple vein under the white bruised skin, and taking the needle he paused when the weak man suddenly spoke again.

"Wanted... me to see..." he let out a shaky breath, "the antidote... until it was too late..." He laughed bitterly, "I think... I'll rather miss this..."

"Never too late," the Dark Knight muttered harshly, completely ignoring the last part. He carefully stuck the needle into the white skin.

Then stopped.

A sudden cold thought slipped into his reeling mind.

What if Joker was lying?

He always said he wanted the Dark Knight to finally kill him one day. Maybe this was it. Batman blinked, staring at the injection and Joker in turn. An old conversation rushed to the surface, of 'two sides to one coin but eternally combined to create one entity'. Of opposites that attract and how their deadly dance would continue till either one of them ends the other. Was he even sick? Damnit! He could just as well be lying to him on that as well. Then he, the Batman, would be a bloody murderer! He could very well wait for the police and paramedics to get here, but Joker might be dead by then!

His eyes met the clown's. He was watching him, no smile playing on his features, no fear in his eyes, only a quiet serenity as if accepting the inevitable death which was to come.

Just because they lie some of the time, does not mean they lie all of the time.

And even if Joker was lying...

If there was chance to save him, then that was the chance he was willing to take.

He plunged the injection down and slowly pumped the white liquid into his blood stream. He'd found himself looking up and at the moment he locked eyes with the clown, he could not break away. This might be the last time he ever saw those eyes of fire and destruction and if that was so then he knew it would be his own doing.

Wishing was sometimes all one had and right now he wished he could turn back time. He knew the right thing to do was to apologize now before it was too late, to ask for forgiveness for not listening when they had needed him most, for turning his back on them and for throwing them to the bigger and badder wolves.

But he knew the Joker and even if he did apologize it would not be accepted - in fact, he'd probably be laughed at.

So he stayed, the least he could do. Of all these villains he'd failed to save, he owed him the most. It was he who Batman had thrown in the cold when he'd asked and begged for help. It was he who had been... a strange evil, constant in his life. Joker was his. So he stayed when more important things should be done and gave what little support he could. To make up for his mistake. Letting him know that at least now, he wasn't alone.

Joker in turn watched him, his red eyes dull and still in a strange almost terrifying moment. Both showing sides neither knew they had. The first showing he cared and the other accepting this awkwardness in a blissful moment of utter weakness. And as they stared and the seconds slipped by they felt that they could finally meet half way. How their one coin... suddenly became two and the two sides of that single coin suddenly lay face to face. They understood. Perhaps it was relief, perhaps guilt had been washed away in a split moment when he hadn't been looking, but Batman could not help but smile at the clown and as he did so, so did the Joker. And for a moment all was forgotten and yet all was remembered. They were both relieved, whatever the outcome of this they would always be part of one another and this would never change. Their eternal dance would continue. They lived as one coin, never one to see the other, but in blissful moments like these, where they were in the center of the madness where the winds could not reach, where time did not pass and in those moments they could smile.

Not grin, nor laugh nor cackle and not even chuckle. But smile, because for now they saw eye to eye.

Even for a moment.

Joker nodded softly and then slowly his eyes slid close.

And as he heard the voices of policemen echoing down the hall, Batman leaned forwards and lay his head on the man's chest and listened to the quiet lull of a heartbeat, vigilantly keeping the pale man alive.

* * *

Silence.

...

Dead silence.

...

Impenetrable silence.

...

And then.

Voices.

Fuzzy... cotton... whispers in darkness.

Then...

... light.

He blinked, a dull pain throbbing through his skull, pounding through his bones and very being. He was tired, he wanted sleep, he wanted all of this to end. But just beyond this he could feel comfort, softness... a bed? Perhaps. He was moving, that he knew, floating along the ground as if being carried, but not uncomfortable enough to be carried. He felt thirsty, hungry, tired, but most of all he felt... safe. Painfully he blinked again, staring up at the figures right in front of him, their shadowed faces spooned in pale moonlight.

"...dehydrated... exhausted..."

You're telling me?

The silhouette spoke sharply and with authority. He did not recognize him, but whoever he was he seemed to be helping. He could now register much more - he was on what seemed to be a mobile bed, which was being pushed to... somewhere. But around him he could hear shouts, people talking and footsteps clapping against the tar road. He closed his eyes, the sudden headache pounding against his head with a sledge hammer. Sleep should take him soon, whisk him away to that place where he could escape to... but small nibbles of memory was pushing against the walls of his mind. He was forgetting something, someone?

"Mr. Enigma." The sharp voice penetrated his thoughts; he blinked softly. "Can.. hear ..?"

He tried to speak, but his mouth could barely open and the dryness in his throat burned sorely. He instead nodded stiffly.

"We... to get you ...hospital," as the man said so Edward was pulled into a brightly lit van. He shut his eyes quickly and desperately tried to block out the sharp lights and sounds. The engine roared to life and he felt the distinct sensation of a car moving at a relatively high speed.

The memory was still pushing against his mind.

"How ...others doing?"

"Not... good."

"Penguin ... sleeping, Joker...blood... and Mr. Freeze-"

Freeze!

His eyes snapped open. Edward shot upward gasping for breath, his eyes wide and blurring with scalding hot tears. A searing pain shot through his body like little electric pulses. He kept himself upright, though barely holding conscious. The paramedics jumped backwards - even in this sorry state they still feared him. If he had been in any better condition he would be smiling like a lunatic. As it was, he could only gasp shaky words and bite back bitter sobs.

"Wh..." he swallowed, the burning in his throat tearing at his vocal chords. "Where... is..." he coughed horribly," ... he?"

The paramedics didn't respond immediately, which only aggravated him more. Why wouldn't they answer?

"Where is... he?" he tried shouting, but his voice only broke at the sheer force. He felt himself slipping, but before he could fall off the bed strong hands grabbed him and held him in place. Edward gasped and stared at the familiar face of the paramedic. The older man watched him with confused eyes and this only gnawed at Edward more. When he was better - this man would be his first victim. For not answering his damned questions!

"Who?" he asked gently.

Stop treating me like a child! He thought bitterly, but only managed to cough violently.

"F-freeze," he sputtered, pulling away from the paramedic, but collapsing back onto the bed, "I need to find... him." He was wheezing, coughing and gasping for the few remaining breaths his body could still muster. But he held on to reality. "I need to know... where," he swallowed, "Victor's body is."

"He's been taken away to the hospital."

Edward turned to the female paramedic; the answer surprised him. He watched her as his eyes blurred and tired, but with barely a voice left to speak with he could only wait for the rest of the answer.

"He's in a coma, due to acute starvation."

"Alive?" he asked, his voice cracking - from pain or relief he wasn't sure.

"Yes," she replied.

What happened next he would never remember as he was finally whisked away to that safe haven in dreams, but what he did remember was the strange sensation of a simple calm. That finally, even for a day, for a simple moment, everything in the world seemed okay.

And that finally, this too had passed.

* * *

The dim flickering lights buzzed in the ceiling, the quiet relief after the storm finally seeming to settle in. Gordon stood quietly by the white body outline of the doctor. The villains (or victims as it were) had already been taken to the hospital. Whether they will make a full recovery remained to be seen. As for this cop, he just felt the need to take a long shower and try to forget that this had happened at all.

But he knew that was not an option. The bitter thought that he could not protect them was still grating his nerves, tearing him up from inside. Even Batman had said he shouldn't take it so hard.

How could he not?

He was part of the reason they were in this mess to begin with. The impersonators in the asylum had been arrested. They'd stood in for the villains, making sure no one knew they were missing. But that only meant that there were a lot of doctors and orderlies who were in on the whole thing. This was turning into a big case - but he will find them, every single one of them. Even if he had to tear this place apart with his bare hands.

Gordon took quite a deep drag from his cigarette. The nicotine filled his lungs and calmed his rattled nerves and shaking hands. He was trying to cut down. He smirked; how many times had he heard that before from co-workers, friends, and even a boss or two. In this job nothing was certain.

Not even the breakin' off of a bad habit.

The old cop snuffed the cigarette on his zippo lighter before flicking it into a small bin on the far wall, and taking one last lingering look at the room, he could not help but wonder what else was going on in these asylums. Were they curing these men? Trying to find better ways to help them? Or were they taking them to dark, dreary little cells, beating the snot out of them and calling it a cure?

He didn't know.

And honestly, he wasn't sure if he even wanted to. As he left, he nodded at the two young cops standing guard by the entrance. There were still a few things that needed to be picked up on the property, and the forensics will be here soon enough, but right now Gordon headed home, trying to figure out who he was going to arrest tomorrow. A question he hoped would be answered quickly and truthfully.

That wasn't certain either.

As he left, the small shadows in the corner of the lab room shifted ever so slightly. A figure stepped forwards, face hidden by a scarf and a cowboy hat and wearing a long jacket stepped onto the tiled floors quietly and carefully. The soft boots nary squeaked nor scuffed the tiles and the figure soon found what it was looking for. All its planning and hard work had paid off. The helmet, still left where it had been found, positively gleamed. It shimmered in the dreary light. Making sure no one could see, the figure carefully took the helmet and tied it with rope onto its back, and snuck down a small passage. It wore the shadows like a black cape, hiding from the few patrolmen still wandering the lonely corridors of the old parts of the asylum. The passage led further and further into the dreary darkness until it met a dead end.

Or so it would seem.

The figure smiled and looked up at the manhole.

Old, forgotten, and very much hidden by shadows, it scraped the tar road as it was pushed open, and with one final glance in the direction of the police cars, it charged off into the night. No one saw the black, cat-like figure running away from all the commotion.

And as it ran the hat fell, the scarf loosening to reveal a woman with long, red-brown hair and clear blue eyes.

Julie smiled wickedly as she unstrapped the helmet and held it out in front of her. Eddie wouldn't be happy of course, but then again...

"Old habits die hard," she giggled, and trotted off into the darkness with yet another stolen invention

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

The city was dark; a bitter eerie stillness had claimed the once bustling metropolis and high above this calm shadowed world, stood the silhouette of a lone and unmoving figure. The arctic winds whipped the dark cape, grasping it with freezing fingers, holding tight before slipping off and flying through the night.

Days had turned to weeks, weeks into months and in those coming months he found himself more and more on the roof top watching over the city, his mistress the Dark Lady and she in turn festered and built her greed, growing far more devious and cruel, all to taunt and finally break her Dark Knight.

Darkness had fallen, taking with it the hope and safety of the people in the streets. The people she swallowed whole and the very same people he needed to save. The night was quiet, still and peaceful, but he knew better. In this metal jungle, her tigers were coming out to play.

"I though you'd never get here," Batman flipped around at the voice, his eyes narrowing slightly. The scrawny figure shot him a winning smile, then leaned against the chimney on the factory roof. His body language remained nonchalant, but his eyes screamed deviousness.

The dark knight moved quietly closer, his hand tightening on the Batarang. Joker might still be weak, but even in this state he was still a danger. "You broke out of Arkham, Joker," he stated in his gruff voice, "I will always find you."

That sentence seemed to hold more meaning than he intended. Joker turned to look at him with a gaze he wished he never learned to read. Then just as quickly it slipped from his facade and the insane grin returned full force, beaming from the clown in rays of mischief and sunshine. Batman was a little relieved to see the clown back to... well for lack of a better word... normal.

"Just thought I'd stretched my legs," he said, "It gets a little cramped in those cells."

A stiff silence fell between the two.

"How are they doing?" Not that he didn't know, but he felt it needed to be asked. Joker looked at him strangely, then burst into laughter. He laughed and laughed until he grabbed his sides and wheezed, but still he laughed and Batman barely suppressed the urge to shut him up with well-aimed Batarang. But the clown soon subsided into giggles, and wiping a tear from his eye he gave the Batman another winning smile. "Batman the mother hen!" he cried before bursting into another fit of laughter.

"We should call you Bat-hen," he giggled again. The Dark Knight glared at the clown, but made no move to grab him. He wasn't so sure how fit the man was yet, so instead he glared and gave a deep, almost vicious growl.

That seemed to subside the Joker slightly and the clown (through giggles) shrugged. "They're doing alright Batsy," he said, "the old bird has started swearing again and seems to remember he's suppose to be ruling the roost."

Batman didn't comment

"Eddie is still a little wobbily," he continued, starring out over the city stifling a giggle, "muscles still a little confused, but I'm guessing he'll be confusing you in a week or two."

Batman suppressed an eye roll, but just barely.

Another silence fell between the two, their gazes never leaving the far off lights stretching through the dark city. Smoke billowed from the chimneys of the old factories. It covered the city in a black blanket of soot and ash. They watched on, neither speaking for a long moment.

"He never leaves his side," Joker finally spoke, but no humor nor laughter could be traced in his voice.

"I know," Batman conceded.

"How long till he wakes?"

Batman frowned at this, turning his gaze to stare at the clown more closely. Joker in turn was staring straight ahead, a serious expression gracing the pale features, but a strange glint in the eyes. The masked vigilante watched on for another moment. What could he say? Victor had come so close to dying, but the doctors had just barely pulled him through. It has been over 3 months and Mr. Freeze had yet to even stir from his coma, although in his current state he might as well be dead.

"I don't know," he finally admitted.

Joker suddenly giggled, "the Batman with no answer?" He laughed heartily, "I'll go through that hell all over again just to hear that again!"

"We have to go now, Joker," Batman growled, his patience short again.

"But can't I..." Joker said with a smile, "... stick... around?" and then he leapt off the roof. Batman, caught off guard for a second, made to go after him. But something snagged his cape and he fell flat on his back. Lying on the roof and staring up into the night sky he could hear Joker's cackle clap in the darkness and smell the distinct scent of glue on the ground. He sighed. Things were definitely back to normal, even if normal meant getting your cape glued to the Super-Stick Glue* factory.

He really should have seen that coming.

Batman sighed and stood up, yanked his cape loose and tearing most of it. The smoke clouds cleared slowly, revealing the pale moon on the ocean skies. And as the Joker charged off into the city to wreak havoc, he could not help but give a small secret smile.

The Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler and Mr. Freeze were all insane men. Crazed lunatics who made his life, and the lives of the people of Gotham, a living, bloody hell. They destroyed, maimed, and took him on wild goose chases through the city. They kept him on his toes and laughed in his face when he guessed, moved or attacked incorrectly. They enjoyed driving him insane and tossing a threat in his direction every other day. Perhaps that made their day, perhaps they loved watching him squirm or perhaps it wasn't even about him, maybe it was about... something else entirely.

But whatever the reason, and even under torture he would never, ever, ever admit this out loud...

He wouldn't have it any other way.

**The End**

* * *

Dear readers

I am sad to say that this is the final chapter for this story, but for those who enjoyed it immensely... or just like seeing their favorite villains being tortured beyond belief, there is hope!

I am writing a sequel!

Yay!

It's not finished, but should be soon, as I said to Crises Project I am not giving a time-stip, for when it will be finished as I am sick an tired of missing deadlines! :P lol!

There will be one more chapter, but nothing directly to do with the story... just something fun! For now good bey, thanks soooo much for reading for reviewing, for favoriting and alerting! You guys are the best and I hope to see you here for the epic, heart pounding and generally strange sequel!

yours insanely

gollumfryingeggs


	17. Dear Readers

Dear Readers

Got some good news, or some interesting or perhaps to some of you just some... news.

Yesterday I finally decided to get off my ass (or rather get on it, because. quite frankly it's ruddy uncomfortable to stand and write) and finish the first chapter to the sequel of 'To Fight for a Bad Guy'. Yay! Big applause! The story will pick up a few months after the events of TFFADG and will perhaps have an even darker tone than before. So get all your Riddler plushes, Joker voodoo dolls, Mr. Freeze action figures and Penguin puppets close, you're gonna be snuggling them quite a lot this time ;). The title of the story will be '_Boundaries Breached_' and it will be posted in the week of 6th January 2011. If it's earlier... yay! If not... please don't kill me :(

Crises Project will be back to beta, so you can all look forward to some quality writing and editing :)

On a side note I made a little website just for the hell of it. To keep me busy and to say thank you in the same breath :D. Check it out, I hope it doesn't bore you too much and any ideas are welcome, art please send it and if you think of anything that will make it that bit bigger, by all means let me know and I'll try it out! Here it is; **http :/ /www. simplesite .com /tffabgextended/**

So there we go, last chapter up, next chapter on its way and we can all have some fun on the website!

And finally as a good bye until next year; _Merry Christmas to you all and to all a Happy New Year! Yay bring out the pom-poms, ginger beer, candy and top hats_!

We gonna party all night long!

yours insanely

Gollumfryingeggs


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